Harvey You Idiot!
by Je55y
Summary: After living an almost solitary life on the farm for the past two years Jane decides to venture in to town and meets some of the locals. She meets Harvey, the town's doctor, but they get off on the wrong foot. This is a story of romance, comedy, drama... and maybe love? Harvey: In my story Harvey is geeky, but he's not a pushover.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Jane**

It was Jane's second summer in Stardew Valley. She had inherited the farm from her late grandfather, whom she'd not really had much of a relationship with in decades. Before the farm she worked in a government office, going to work 9am to 5pm then hitting the gym afterwards. The idea of owning and working on a farm was an ideal opportunity to escape city life and try her hand at something new.

When she arrived at the farm she was met by the Mayor of Pelican City – Mayor Lewis. He welcomed her to the area and gave her quite a lengthy monologue about the stores, and the people.

'Everyone is talking about the new lady farmer,' Lewis chuckled, his grey moustache jiggled as he laughed. 'They are all excited about meeting you in some capacity or other.'

Jane laughed nervously. She wasn't really one for lots of attention. When she worked in the city she kept herself to herself and even listened to her iPod when she was working out. The truth is – she took on the farm because she'd hoped for a quieter life, a bit of peace from the noise and the all the gossip.

'Pierre runs the grocery store,' he continued, 'where you can buy your seeds and even sell your crops once you start producing. Then there's the doctor's clinic next door to Pierre's store, oh and the bar where a lot of us tend to gather in the evenings. There are the mines but I should probably discourage you from venturing there, as we don't want any injuries. Ohh the beach is a great place to fish.. umm you should speak to Willy. He smells like fish but he's got all the fishing supplies you'll need to get started.'

'Oh well thanks, that's great. Really kind of you to pop by, and I'll see you around soon.' Jane said smiling, trying to hide how overwhelmed she felt by the overload of information.

Lewis waved and left the farm. He seemed friendly she enough.

So two years later she had managed to transform the farm from its neglected state to something her grandfather would probably be proud of.

She had a sprinkler system set up to take some of the pressure off in the mornings as watering by hand was taking all day and didn't leave much time for anything else.  
She had beautiful walkways that she'd hand built from the wood she'd acquired from clearing the dense forest of trees. Her little pond sparkled in the sunlight, and provided her with a good source of fish.

Her crops were laid out in sections, with fruit on one side, and vegetables on the other. She was currently growing blueberries, radishes, corn, and she even had a few fruit tree saplings that would eventually produce delicious apples, cherries, and apricots. She planned to make apricot jam next season.

There was still a lot to be done, such as fences that needed repairing or weeds that needed to be cleared. Brambles very quickly appeared and could be such a nuisance if you didn't tackle them whilst they were young.

The sun had been blazing hot, and after a long day repairing fences she decided she'd head in to the village and grab a drink or two at the bar. She got showered and changed in to a fresh pair of jeans and threw on old t-shirt. She didn't really have much in the way of a wardrobe and spent most of her time in dungarees. She pulled on her cleanest pair of New Balances, then tied her wavy red hair back in to ponytail. That'll do, she thought and headed out along the path.

The low sun cast a warm golden colour across the sky as it was beginning to set, and temperature was definitely much cooler.

Jane glanced at the door to the clinic. The sign read 'CLOSED.' Next door Pierre was locking up his store. He smiled and waved as Jane walked by. She waved back. Friendly guy she thought.

The door to the bar creaked as she pushed it open and she heard music and the sound of voices as she entered the building.

At the bar Gus was drying beer glasses with a towel. 'What can I get you?' he said smiling.

'I'll have a beer and have you got a food menu please?'

'Here you go,' he passed her a menu, 'and here's your beer.'

'Thank you.' She paid for her drink and went to find a table. After finding one in a quiet corner, she sat down, had a sip of her beer and then flipped through the menu. There wasn't huge choice, mainly hamburgers with various cheese options, pasta, or an all day breakfast. She reminded herself she wasn't in the big city where every restaurant was in competition with the one across the street.

'Hi there, I'm Pam,' an older blonde lady reached across the table to shake her hand. 'You must be June? Umm.. the farmer who came from the city?'

'It's Jane, and yes I own the farm. I'm still getting the hang of things so wouldn't quite call myself a farmer yet.' Jane could tell the woman had had more than a few drinks.

'Oh my, so sorry – Jane! And don't put yourself down, us women work just as hard if not harder than those men so you call yourself a farmer... *Hic* - you own that!' she wobbled and Gus who had just appeared to take Jane's order caught her.

'Come on Pam, I think you should have a glass of water over by the bar.' He made an apologetic face at Jane. 'I'll be right back to take your order.'

Jane picked up the menu again and looked at her options. Cheeseburger or... I'll have a cheese burger I guess she thought. Just then she had the feeling she was being watched. She lowered the menu a little and saw a pair of green eyes staring at her, but then the face they belonged to turned a shade of pink and quickly spun back towards the bar. The man was sat on a stool at the bar. He wore a green jacket, glasses, and had quite a shaggy mop of hair on top of his head. He was drinking from a cup so she assumed coffee or tea. Who drinks coffee in a bar, she snickered to herself.

She had a drink of her beer and tried not laugh at the fact that she'd caught him watching her.

Gus came back to take her order, and apologise for Pam bothering her. 'No, don't worry about it, she was fine. I'll have a cheeseburger and fries by the way.'

'No problem, it'll be about 30 minutes.' He took the menu and went behind the bar in to what must have been the kitchen.

Jane took another few gulps of her beer. It was so refreshing as the liquid washed down her dry throat. Why had she not come here before, after such a long day on the farm this was the ideal place to chill out. The music was enjoyable, not too loud and the atmosphere was nice. There were people laughing and joking at another table, and a few people sitting around the bar. One guy looked a little moody though. He had a blue JoJaMart hoody on, dark hair and in her opinion looked unfriendly. He rolled his eyes at her when he saw her looking in his direction. Weirdo she thought, maybe they aren't all sunshine and rainbows here after all. Miss Drunk. Mr StareyEyes. Mr Moodpants. She laughed to herself– those could be 'Mr Men' characters. She took another gulp of beer but couldn't hold back her laughter and spat beer across the table. She got some funny looks, but she drank back the rest of her beer and went up to the bar to get another.

Still giggling, she wiped her t-shirt down with her hand and asked Gus for another beer. As she turned with her drink in her hand she didn't realise that the guy in the green jacket was standing so closely behind her.

'I'll have another Coffee please Gus.'

'Fucking hell!' she yelled as she jumped out of her skin. She lost her footing and fell backwards in to the bar stools. Her beer went all over her, the bar stools were like fallen dominoes all toppled on top of each other. The glass shattered as it hit the wooden floor, and as she landed she put her right hand straight in to the broken glass.

'Ow!' she screamed. She couldn't stop herself from saying, 'You idiot! What were doing standing that close to me?' She turned her hand over. There was a piece of glass sticking out of her palm, and lots of smaller cuts in her fingers. Blood oozed out and stained her jeans red. She felt a wave of nausea, she was a little giddy from the alcohol, but seeing the glass jutting out of her hand turned her stomach.

'I'm sor-'

The man in the green jacket looked embarrassed and tried to help her up. '-No, don't touch me! You've done enough damage already.' She flung his hand away and frowned at him. He looked hurt, but she didn't care.

Gus passed her a towel from behind the bar to help with the blood. 'You'll need to let Dr Harvey take a look at that.'

'Yeah I would, but the sign on the clinic door said 'CLOSED'. He's finished for the day.' she sighed as she held the towel around her hand wincing at the pain. She turned to the man in green jacket and said, 'Thanks a lot idiot! Now I've got to catch a bus to the nearest hospital.'

Both Gus and Pam let out a laugh. The moody guy walked over and said, 'You're the idiot. That is the Doc.' he nodded towards the man in the green jacket and then left the bar, the door creaked closed behind him.

'*HIC* he's right. That's Dr Harvey. *HIC*' Pam added as she took a sip of her water.

To say she was embarrassed was an understatement. Jane felt her face getting warmer by the second. What the fuck!

'Yes that's me the idiot doctor, but most people call me Dr Harvey. I'll open the clinic and take a look at that wound for you unless you'd rather catch the bus.' He looked annoyed. Holding the door open he waved his hand in front of him indicating that she should follow. She did as she was told, without another word.

**Harvey**

Outside the clinic Harvey rummaged through his jacket. As he pulled the clinic keys from his pocket his inhaler fell out and landed on the floor. Before Harvey could pick it up, Jane swooped down and grabbed it.

'You've got Asthma?' she asked. She shook it before handing it back to him. Her hand looked tiny compared to his, and noticed how calloused they were. He chose not to answer, not really wanting to share personal information with her. 'Seems almost empty, you'd better get a new one,' she commented but again he didn't say anything. Perhaps he had been depending on it a little too much lately, anyway he was the doctor not her.

In the clinic the fluorescent lights flickered to life overhead as he switched them on. He told her to take a seat in his office. It was very tidy and organised, exactly how he liked things to be. Everything had a place. He was thankful that Maru helped out at the clinic, without her things wouldn't be so organised. If only Maru was a little older, or he a little younger he might have asked her out on a date. He didn't think her father would ever approve of the age gap, and to be honest he didn't want to find out what Demetrius' reaction would be. He didn't fancy a black eye or a broken nose.

He saw Jane glancing around the room out of the corner of his eye as he gathered the necessary medical supplies needed to treat her hand.

'Hold your arm out please.' He removed the bloody towel Gus had given to Jane and tossed it in to the clinical waste bin. 'Hold still, this is going to sting,' he warned her as sprayed antiseptic on her hand.

'Jesus!' she exclaimed, 'did it really have to sting that much!' He couldn't help but take a little bit of satisfaction from hearing her yell out; after all she did call him an idiot. Then he remembered he was in doctor mode and should be professional.

He took a pair of sterilised tweezers and began working the largest piece of glass out of her palm. She winced and bit her lip. He couldn't help but notice how attractive she was. Her wavy red hair, freckles, and her lips, oh gosh - the way she was biting her lip. He started feeling a little hot. No Harvey, head back in the game. Doctor mode remember, he told himself. He pulled the glass out and placed it in the metal kidney dish that was on the table next to him.

'How much longer is going to take?' She asked looking at the piece of glass he had removed.

'Is there somewhere you have to be right now?' He started removing the smaller splinters from her fingers, looking up at her briefly. She was so impatient.

'No, but – it's not exactly how I expected to spend my evening.'

'That makes two of us' he replied. He was annoyed. He had planned to build the new model aeroplane he'd received in the mail, but there was little chance of that happening now. He was obsessed with aeroplanes and it killed him that he had a crippling fear of heights. He'd never even been on a short haul flight before, he just wasn't brave enough. He took the bus everywhere.

He got the last splinter of glass out and began bandaging her hand. 'How does that feel?' he asked her pushing his glasses back up his nose. The air was feeling rather humid in his office.

'It hurts.' She moaned, the moody look still on her face. She held her hand up in front of her face and flexed her fingers.

'It will for a while, until it heals,' he said as he disposed of the glass and bits of bloody cotton he'd used to clean her wound. He retrieved a bottle of pain medication from the cabinet and tossed it to her. She caught it with her left hand, the contents rattling 'Take two of those, three times a day for the pain. I wouldn't drive or operate any heavy machinery as they are quite strong and may make you drowsy. And as you've not registered with the clinic yet I need you to fill out the paperwork.'

'Can it wait 'til morning?' she asked, not waiting for him to answer she got up and left.

Harvey shook his head in frustration as he watched the door close behind her. What a pain in the ass!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Jane**

The next morning Jane woke up with a headache. She'd overslept, it was 10am and she should have been up at 6am.

Was last night just a bad dream? Oh gosh she had hoped so! She lifted her arm and saw her neatly bandaged right hand. Shit! Last night really did happen. Fuck Fuck Fuck!  
She dragged herself out of bed, her body felt heavy, her legs were like lead. Every muscle ached.

'Thank Joba for the sprinklers!' she said out loud. She just had the chickens to feed, which wouldn't take too long. They were pretty low maintenance, and seemed to be quite content to peck about in the dirt most of the day.

She grabbed a glass of water and took two of the painkillers Dr Harvey had given her last night. She remembered she'd put them on the kitchen counter and noticed two pills were gone, that must be why she'd overslept. The pain killers must have been so strong they'd knocked her out. She set the empty glass aside, got dressed, pulled on her boots, and went outside. At least the pain in her hand was numbed.

The heat almost knocked her back inside. It was another scorcher of a day and it didn't help her bad head, she sun was so bright.

She noticed there were two letters in her mailbox. One from Pierre:

Dear Customer

50% off sunflower seeds. Be sure to stop by the store before stocks run out!

Pierre

The second letter was from Dr Harvey. Jane muttered, 'Idiot,' under her breath:

Jane

Please make time to come in to the clinic today. There are forms that need to be filled out, and your dressings will need to be changed.

Dr Harvey

Dr Harvey... what an idiot he was. He was persistent though, she'd give him that. His handwriting was unusually neat for a doctor, quite elegant in fact. She scrunched up both letters and threw them in the trash. There was a waft of smelly garbage that had been fermenting in the hot weather and she quickly replaced the lid.

The chickens were happy to see her this morning, which made her feel awful for practically throwing their feed at them. She didn't have a lot of energy, despite oversleeping. She gave them all a pet on the head which they responded to by clucking, and collected four large eggs.

'Good girls Chikita, Chickie, Chickpea, and Chickenpie' she told them as she left the coop. Perhaps she should have chosen better names, but those were their names and they each knew which was theirs when she called them.

After she'd put the eggs away she kicked off her boots and lay on the sofa letting the cushions mould around her body. It felt so good, so comfy that she closed her eyes she drifted off.

It felt like she'd only just closed her eyes when she was rudely awoken by someone knocking on her front door. She yawned, stretched, and got up to answer the door. Glancing at the wall clock she noticed it was almost 3pm, she'd been asleep two hours. Her stomach growled, and she realised she'd missed her lunch.

A young woman in her twenties was standing on her porch. She was quite attractive which made Jane feel self conscious in her muddy dungarees with her hair pulled back in to a scruffy ponytail.

'Hello?' Jane greeted her, 'can I help you?' The young woman smiled at her, her eyes seemed to sparkle behind her glasses. Perfect in every way Jane thought and laughed at how pathetic she was being.

'Hi, I'm Maru. Dr Harvey sent me.' She held out a hand to Jane, who shook it.

'Oh wonderful, what does he want?' she asked, sighing at the mention of his name. Maru smiled, looking like butter wouldn't melt. She did have a nice smile and that was a lovely shade of lipstick she was wearing. Jane started feeling self conscious again and tried to tidy her hair up a bit, and rubbed at her face where she thought there might be bits of farm dirt.

'Doc asked me to come and collect you. He said there are some forms that need filling out, and that you might be reluctant to come in on your own. So... umm... here I am.' She seemed nervous but continued to smile at Jane.

'Did he now? Well I'm busy and now isn't the right time.' She tried to find an excuse, 'I've got chickens to feed,' she lied.

'Doc said you'd say that. He also said if you didn't come to him, he'd come to you.' Maru seemed amused by the threat.

Fuck that! She didn't want him in her house. He'd probably be all judgemental, and ask why the washing up was piled up in the sink or why there was a pile of dirty laundry on the floor.

'Alright, I'll come. Just let me lock up first'. Jane sighed feeling beaten.

On the way to the clinic the two women made small talk. Maru asked Jane if she'd settled in to the life of a farmer, and Jane asked Maru what it was like working for Doctor Harvey.

'Oh it's great working for Dr Harvey, he's the sweetest boss I've ever had.' Jane thought being so young Maru can't have worked for that many bosses. 'He's so kind, and thoughtful, and he sometimes leaves me candy.'

Candy? Yeah, like that doesn't ring alarm bells Jane thought. 'He didn't come across that way to me, I have to say.'

'Oh, he is... he's lovely. Ask anyone in town they will all agree.' She was beaming. She either had a crush on DrStareyEyes or he was putting something in that candy.

'I guess I'll have to take your word for it then.' Jane smiled back, chuckling at how dizzy Maru seemed.

'We're here.' Maru announce as she held open the door to the clinic.

'So we are,' Jane said, once again sighing, not looking forward to round two.

**Harvey**

'Full name please,' Harvey asked – his pen at the ready to write down her details. They were in his office, Jane sitting in the chair opposite his. He had a clipboard on his lap.

'Jane Cooper,' she answered. Cooper, as in barrel making he thought. How interesting. He wrote her name down on the form, wondering whether to offer her an interesting fact about barrel making but thought better of it. She probably wouldn't appreciate it.

'Age.' He asked clearing his throat.

'None of your business.' She scowled, but there was a hint of mischievousness in her eyes. He could tell she was going to make this as awkward as possible for him.

'Nineteen.' She made a sound that indicated this was a fib.

'Really?' He questioned not believing she was nineteen, twenty five maybe.

She sighed and rolled her eyes in boredom. 'Thirty five.'

Harvey paused for a moment and glanced up at her, taking in her young features. Her face was unlined, the skin smooth. The freckles on her nose and cheeks gave her a youthful look. Her wavy red hair, so vibrant and full of colour... Not one grey hair. He would have put her closer to twenty five, and suddenly he didn't feel so old anymore. At forty most people saw him as too old to date, even though age was just a number - right?

He remembered celebrating his birthday last year, how disappointed he felt to not be with someone, to not be settled down with a family. The idea of little ones running around warmed his heart and made him start smiling.

'What's wrong with your face? Are you having a stroke?' Jane asked snapping her fingers in front of his face.

He had drifted off, but Jane's voice had snapped him back to reality. She was grinning, obviously amused at her own joke.

'I uh... was... just,' he stammered. He had forgotten what question he was asking from the list.

'Day dreaming!' Jane laughed, 'Admit it; you were off with the fairies weren't you?' Her eyes were watching his face clearly enjoying tormenting him.

He narrowed his eyes at her not enjoying being teased. He continued with the questions, staying professional. He wasn't very good with banter and usually got nervous around women, especially attractive women. Jane was attractive.

'Height?' Pen held ready waiting for her answer.

'Five foot two inches,' she answered quietly, obviously not all that keen on telling people her height. She was very short compared to him; he was six foot four inches. He imagined her struggling to reach the cabinets in the kitchen and let out a huge laugh. He was mortified!

She was staring at him open mouthed, obviously shocked at his outburst and complete lack of professionalism. Before she could say anything he moved on to the next question on the form.

'Umm...weight?' He asked nervously.

'My weight is fine thanks,' she said not giving him a number. 'Ask me another question...'

'I'm sure it is,' he smiled, 'but it won't take a second.' He stood up and started calibrating the scales ready for her to step on. He never really understood why women were often so reluctant to be weighed.

'What, so you can laugh at me again? You are doing this because you are clearly holding some kind of grudge from last night.' Her voice had increased in volume to the point she was nearly shouting. He was taken aback and if he was honest, he was a bit frightened.

'Umm... that's not true at all. I'm merely asking these questions because they are on the form. They are medically necessary.' He pulled at his neck tie slackening it off a little, it felt tight and he let out a couple of coughs.

'Are you saying I look overweight?' She got to her feet and held her hands out at her sides as if to confirm she wasn't fat.

'No...'

'Do I look fat to you?'

'No...'

'I don't see why any of this is necessary.' She growled at him.

'I'll be... right... back...' Harvey left the room, the door swung closed behind him.

Out in the hallway he leaned against the wall. The white painted brickwork was cold against his back. His chest felt tight. He took his green jacket off and let it crumple to the floor. Jane was stressing him out. He was always nervous around women, not that he hadn't had relationships because he had; he just wasn't good at talking to them. She was being mean, making comments, refusing to answer properly.

He closed his eyes, shook his inhaler and tried to take a dose of the medicine but Jane was right... it was empty. 'Shit!' he said under his breath and threw it in frustration on to the floor. The canister detached from the plastic casing and they both went their separate ways.

He started coughing and exhaled deeply to stop the next cough coming but it didn't work. Another cough came, then another, and another until he was having a coughing fit. The coughing was replaced by a deep wheeze. His breathing became laboured and every inhale was more difficult that the one before, his lung capacity was reducing and he wasn't able to bring in as much oxygen as he needed.

His stock of inhalers was in a locked cabinet in his office, where Jane was waiting for him. He bit the bullet and went back in to his office.

**Jane**

Jane sat picking at a callous on her left palm. Her right hand was still bandaged and she made a mental note to remind the doctor to change the dressings for her. It was taking him an awfully long time, what was he doing out there?

She wondered if maybe she'd been a bit hard on him, even a bit mean. She wasn't normally like that, but adding what happened last night to the questions about her weight and she just couldn't stop herself. She'd never been comfortable with her weight. In the city there posters of glamour models with tiny waists, in the magazines they showed models in beautiful outfits. The small writing next to the photo would say, 'model is wearing size zero.' Seriously, how could she not have a complex about her weight when a size four was considered large! She was a size six and barely had an inch of fat on her stomach!

She got up from her seat thinking maybe she should go and look for him, or maybe she could just sneak off home. Just as she was about to push the door open it swung inwards and Dr Harvey came rushing in. He appeared to be missing some clothing, his green jacket was gone.

'You were gone ages... I started to wonder if you'd gone home for the day,' she joked as she watched him trying to open a glass cabinet that looked stocked full of medicines. When he didn't respond she tried again, 'You ok Dr Harvey?'

'No.' His reply by barely audible and he sounded grumpy, but she took his wheezy breathing as an answer to her question.

'Harvey is it your asthma?' He nodded so she asked, 'Where's your inhaler? Is it in this cabinet?' He nodded again and let her take the bunch of keys from his large hands. His breathing sounded awful, but she tried not to show how worried she was. She hoped he knew what to do because she didn't. 'Sit down Harvey, I'll open it.'

After four failed attempts she found the right key and the lock clicked open. Her eyes scanned across the different boxes and bottles on the shelves, some had names she knew she'd never pronounce correctly. 'Got it! I think... is this the one Harvey?'

'Yes.' He said, his voice sounded gravelly.

She tossed the box to him. He didn't hesitate about tearing the box open. She watched him shake the inhaler and then take two consecutive puffs. He was breathing out heavily, almost blowing out air. He took two more puffs, held his breath for half a minute and exhaled.

'Thank you,' he said looking up at her. He looked exhausted. Jane walked over to him, loosened his neck tie, removed it and then undid his top two shirt buttons. He grabbed her small hands in his before she had a chance to remove them from his shirt. 'Thank you Jane.' He repeated. His breathing appeared to be normalising. She felt a wave of relief pass over her.

'Does that happen often... your asthma?' She asked cautiously, remembering how he'd reacted last night when she'd questioned him about it then.

'Some times... when I get stressed it can bring on my asthma.' He looked away when he said his. She could see his chest heaving beneath his shirt, like he had just finished a marathon.

'I'm sorry,' she said. 'Did I... was it my fault?' She already knew the answer; she'd stressed the poor bastard out and almost cost Pelican Town its doctor!

'No. It was mine. You were right, I am an idiot and if you'll excuse me I need to have a lie down. Asthma attacks... they take a lot out of me, especially the older I get.'

'Are you sure you're gonna be ok?' She felt awful, and was worried about him which was crazy because last night she hated him.

'I'll get Maru, my assistant, to send the form to you through the post, just fill it out and send it back. That way you don't have to worry about doing this again. Maru will see you out.' Instead of waving goodbye, he chose to salute her and left her.

She smiled, what an odd man. He never did change her dressings.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**Jane**

Jane saw Harvey leaning against the fountain. He was looking in to the distance, eyes transfixed on something or nothing. He was in a daze.

Smiling she walked over and took a seat next to him on the wall that ran in a circle around the fountain. The water bubbled and gave the grassy park area a feeling of tranquillity. Birds chattered overhead, and a gentle breeze blew through the tree leaves. It was a very peaceful location to spend an afternoon.

'Oh hello,' he said startled by her sudden appearance. 'I didn't see you there.'

'Yeah, I know. You were away with those fairies again.' She giggled and nudged him in the ribs with her elbow.'

Harvey's face went a little pink from embarrassment. He was clearly uncomfortable with her teasing. He brushed his hair off his face with his fingers and cleared his throat. 'Shouldn't you be busy with farmer work, plants and stuff?'

'Shouldn't you be busy with doctor work, patients and stuff?' She responded with a smirk. She eyed him up, wondering if he only owned green suit jackets as that's all she'd ever seen him wear. She had to admit the green jacket did match his eye colour well.

'Touché,' he clapped his hands together as if she'd won an award.

'I had a free moment and thought I'd go for a walk, and do a bit of foraging.' Jane leaned down and pulled off her work boots. Her feet were so hot she thought she'd soak them in the fountain. Just taking her boots off was a relief; they were sore and sweaty from wearing them all day. After rolling up the legs of her dungarees she swivelled round on her backside and plunged her bare feet in to the cold water. 'Oh that's so good! Come on Harvey take your shoes off, get some air to those feet.'

'I don't think you are meant to do that,' he frowned disapprovingly at her.

'Do what?' she grinned whilst wiggling her toes.

'Put your feet in the water.'

'Oh well if Dr Harvey orders it, then I must be a good patient and do as I'm told,' she laughed and splashed him with water.

'No you aren't meant to put your feet in!' He growled in frustration. His green eyes had narrowed and his brow dipped in to a frown.

She could see he was getting wound up so she said, 'Oh lighten up Doctor!' She exaggerated her smile to encourage him to smile back but he just frowned even more. He really needed to loosen up she thought.

'It's so refreshing,' she splashed him again wetting his clothes, 'and so soothing after wearing my work boots all day.'

'It's unhygienic!' He said looking down and her feet. He pulled a face.

'Bloody hell, prescribe yourself a chill pill!' She'd never known anyone to be such a stickler for the rules. She scooped up a handful of water and threw it at him. It hit him right in the face, wetting his hair and eye glasses. Water droplets must have obscured his vision as he removed his glasses to wipe them. The colour of his green eyes seemed to intensify, but perhaps it was because he looked pissed off.

'Please don't do that!'

'Do what?' She asked amused by her childish game.

'Splash me with water!' He growled.

She could not resist, and well... he'd practically told her to do it. She scooped up another handful of water but as she moved to throw it as her she lost her footing and slipped off the wall sideways.

Before she hit the water Harvey's hand shot out and caught hers. She smiled thinking, phew that was close but then he made a sound, 'uhh ooh ahh,' when he lost his balance and her weight pulled him off the wall. There was a huge splash as a tidal wave of fountain water went over wall. He landed on top of her, taking the wind out of her lungs.

'Ow! Bloody hell you weigh a tonne,' Jane complained beneath him. They were both drenched, their clothing clinging to their skin. The water was no longer pleasant, it was freezing. The bird chatter sounded like laughter, and she was pretty sure her nipples were showing through her top.

His face was inches from hers. Droplets of water trickled down the bridge of his nose and dripped on to her cheek. He was looking in to her eyes with such intensity and suddenly she didn't feel so brave. She swallowed nervously, waiting for him to get off her, for him to say something.

He leaned in towards her, his wet lips found hers and he kissed her. It felt like electricity was running through her body, every inch of her skin tingled. She kissed him back, her hands on his shirt collar pulling him in for a deeper kiss. She gasped as he pulled away, but moaned with pleasure when he kissed her again. The kiss had taken her completely by surprise. There was a fire in his eyes. His breathing was rapid, she could feel his chest rising and falling against her own. Through her clothing she could feel his erection pressing in to her thigh, hard and hungry for her. She arched her hips up towards his hardness, but realised what she was doing and remembered where they were.

'DOCTOR HARVEY!' she broke free of his mouth. He stopped kissing her, and was panting heavily. 'You need to get off me!' He looked confused, and then his expression changed to worry.

'I'm so sorry,' he sat back on his heels and pulled her in to a seating position. She could hear his wheeze again. He stood up with her. 'Forgive me. I uh... don't know what came over me. I'm sorry – let me apologise properly by uhh... by uhh buying you dinner.' He was quite breathless so his words were stammered.

They stepped out of the fountain on to the grass, both shivering. Luckily there was no one around, because Jane felt so embarrassed. Her face felt flush – Not only were her nipples poking through her wet top, she'd also received the best kiss she'd ever had... from the town doctor!

She tucked her t-shirt back in to her dungarees as it had come loose. She caught herself staring at his crotch and quickly looked away. He was still hard, and that was some bulge in his pants!

'I don't think so Dr Harvey.' She couldn't look him in the eyes, so she looked at the fountain behind him. 'If that was meant to be CPR, you'd better brush up on your skills.' She joked nervously. He was an amazing kisser!

'Advice noted,' he coughed to clear his throat, clearly trying to hide his amusement at her joke. 'And umm... just call me Harvey.'

'Harvey,' she smiled. 'I'll see you around, ok? Take care of yourself.' She thumbed the straps on her dungarees and headed home, leaving Harvey standing alone.

Back at the farm she threw herself on to the sofa. What the hell had happened! She got up and poured herself a large glass of brandy and sat back on the sofa, letting the cushions swallow her up.

**Harvey**

'Ouch Doc, that's really tight!' Alex complained, 'can you loosen it off a bit?'

'Sorry Alex,' he undid the Velcro cuff on the blood pressure device, which made a loud ripping sound. He looked at the reading on the screen, 'it's fine.' Alex had come in for a health check.

'Is something on your mind Doc?' Alex asked chewing loudly on a piece of gum. Alex was a very athletic guy, strong and muscular, and very popular with the ladies. Harvey felt he could never compete with the men in Pelican Town. Alex was a Jock, Elliot was a romantic Adonis chiselled from stone, and Shane was mean and moody – a characteristic that a lot of women seemed to find attractive. Harvey attended weekly fitness classes with some of the female townsfolk to keep himself fit and healthy, but his asthma kept him from doing anything more strenuous.

'No,' Harvey lied, not wanting to share any of his personal life with Alex. 'Your test result came back from the lab. You'll be pleased to hear the findings were negative for sexually transmitted diseases. You really must be careful Alex. I can't stress enough how important it is for both you and your sexual partners to use protection,' he said changing the subject.

'Woah Doc, less of the lecturing – you're starting to sound like my grandparents,' Alex laughed, clearly not taking things seriously. The sound of Alex's chew had started to annoy Harvey. Slurp, shoop, slurp, shoop, slurp, shoop.

Harvey sighed, not wanting to get in to it with Alex. 'Do you require contraception – Condoms?' Harvey asked his voice monotone, and his mind elsewhere. Jane's perfect lips.

'Sure thing Doc, I could do with some. You still got my size... right? Extra large.' Alex laughed. Harvey rolled his eyes. Cocky bastard.

'Okay, well I think we are done here,' Harvey typed up some notes on his computer, updating Alex's medical details. 'See Maru for those condoms.'

'Will do Doc, will do.' He made a gun shape with his hand and fired an imaginary bullet at Harvey.

Harvey sighed. He could not get her out of his head. Her smell, her taste, and the way her body felt beneath him. He felt himself going hard and tried to think of something else.

He knew he shouldn't have kissed her, it was wrong. He hardly knew her and she didn't even like him. He just couldn't help himself. He could smell her scent, her shower cream, her fruity lip balm, and he just had to taste those lips. She tasted of strawberries. He felt himself growing harder.

'That was the last patient Dr Harvey,' Maru said surprising him. He had been too busy thinking about Jane to notice Maru enter the room. He jumped up from his chair in surprise and banged himself on the desk in front of him. That was one way of getting rid of it. Somehow he managed to hold in the scream, but his face showed his pain. Luckily Maru left the office as quickly as she'd entered it so didn't see him in pain.

'Fuck!' he hissed under his breath. Once the pain had subsided, which took about five minutes, Harvey grabbed his jacket off the peg and put it on. He went in to the reception where Maru was getting ready to leave for the day. He decided it was now or never... he was going to ask her out for a drink. Kissing Jane had given him the confidence he needed, and he was fed up of being alone.

'Hey Maru,' the words got caught in his throat.

She looked up from her desk. She was pulling on her sneakers; she'd changed out of her work heels.

'Do you need something Doc? Is it about overtime tomorrow?' She was such a happy person, always smiling.

'Umm, I just wondered... doyouwannagetadrinkatthebar? He blurted the last bit out so fast the look on her face showed she didn't catch a word of it so he tried again. 'I'll buy you a drink at the bar.'

'At Gus' place? I'm actually heading out to meet some girlfriends, but my mom and dad should be there if you want to catch a drink with them.' Maru grabbed her jacket off the coat hook. 'I'll see you on Monday, or tomorrow if you want me to do some overtime.' She waved him goodbye and left him standing alone in the hallway. He sighed heavily and headed for the bar.

'The usual Doc?' Gus asked reaching for a clean coffee mug. He was a portly fellow, which Harvey assessed was probably from drinking a lot of beer.

'No, actually I'll have a beer please.' He hopped up on to his favourite bar stool.

'Here you go.' Gus passed him a cold one from the refrigerator.

Harvey took a swig from the bottle. It was ice cold and his throat was soothed. He downed the drink in one and let out a belch.

'I'll have another beer.' He asked sliding the empty bottle across the bar towards Gus. Gus handed him another and Harvey thanked him with a salute.

As he drank his second beer he thought about his life, and how since moving to Pelican Town he'd not ventured out anywhere. He should book a holiday and visit a beach or another town or city. He'd have to travel by bus or hire a car though, as going on a plane was not an option. Maybe he'd meet a nice girl on his travels and she'd actually like him back. 'Another beer,' he waved to Gus.

'Steady on there Doc,' Gus warned but still passed Harvey a third beer. 'Maybe have a coffee next.'

Harvey ignored his comment and took a drink of his beer. He took his inhaler out of his jacket pocket and had two puffs on it. He held his breath as he counted out the seconds and then released it, putting his inhaler on the bar. He played with it, taking the canister out and twisting it between his fingers. He'd had a letter arrive in the mail from his own doctor requesting he make an asthma review appointment but he'd thrown it in a drawer. He was fine, and he didn't need to make an appointment he thought. He could do all the checks at his own clinic if he wanted to, what was the point of going to see another doctor. He would be his own doctor.

He heard laughter coming from a table in the corner or the room. He glanced over his right shoulder and saw Jane sat chatting to Alex. Harvey let out a groan. Alex!He couldn't hear what they were saying but Jane's laugh indicated she was enjoying Alex's company. Jane looked pretty tonight; she wasn't wearing her usual farm clothes. She had worn a frilly white blouse and what looked like a pink skirt with a pattern on it. He'd not seen her wearing anything other than her overalls so this look was new to him. He forced himself to turn back towards the bar. He took another mouthful of his beer, starting to feel the affect of the alcohol.

'Two more beers please Gus,' he heard Alex order as he appeared next to him at the bar.

Harvey didn't bother to look up from his drink.

'Hey Doc. Can I buy you a beer?' Alex asked grinning from ear to ear. Harvey shook his head to say no. 'Oh, go on Doc. You look like you need one. Gus, a beer for the Doc.'

Harvey knew he shouldn't but he accepted the beer and said, 'thanks.' He watched Alex return with his beers to their table. Were they on a date? He finished his beer and started on the new one Alex had ordered for him. He couldn't help but glance Jane's way. She looked amazing. Her red hair was loosely flowing over her shoulders. He wished he could run his fingers through it, and smell her shampoo again. She caught him looking, and he held her gaze for a few seconds before turning back to his beer. He didn't drink very often. He usually stuck to coffee but he felt he needed the numbness he got from drinking, the calming affect he had right now.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. 'Harvey are you ok?' It was Jane. She had a look of concern on her face.

'Yes, I'm perfectly fine.' He slurred, trying to keep his composure. 'How's your date going?'

She looked confused. 'Date?' She looked more than pretty, she looked beautiful. He could smell her floral perfume, and breathed it in which sent him in to a coughing fit. It burned his lungs.

He took another two puffs on his inhaler and fumbled trying to return in to his pocket. 'You're sitting with Alex, and he's buying you drinks. My assessment is... you are on a date.'

Jane took it from his hand and tucked it away in his pocket. 'Have a coffee Harvey; you look like you need one.'

He chose to ignore her advice; instead he tapped the empty bottle in front him indicating to Gus he wanted another.

'It's your choice; you're the doctor so I guess you know best.' She went to sit back down with Alex.

'Hey Doc, maybe you should ease up on the beer. Take the ladies advice and have a coffee.'

'Uhh, I need to urinate.' He got up and went to men's rest room.

Just as he was zipping his pants up, the door to the rest room flew open and Alex came sauntering in. He had a huge grin on his face.

'Hey Doc, how's it hanging.' He joked, as he winked and grabbed his crotch. Perfectly fine - thanks, thought Harvey. Harvey said nothing. He was drunk and felt like he was in slow motion.

As he was leaving Alex flashed the strip of condoms he'd received from the clinic. 'Thanks for these Doc, I think I'll be using all of these tonight. In fact I might need to pop by in the morning for a refill.' He winked, laughing to himself.

Harvey made his way back to his bar stool not really having taken in what Alex was suggesting. He sat down, took a large glug of beer and then it came to him.

'YOU COCKY BASTARD!' Harvey stood up so clumsily that his stool fell over and clattered to the floor. Everyone looked up shocked at hearing Dr Harvey shouting.

Gus put a hand on Harvey's wrist trying to coax him in to returning to his seat. 'Come on now Doc how about that coffee?'

'YOU THINK YOU CAN HAVE ANY WOMAN YOU WANT!' Harvey was enraged, and drunkenly made his way over to Jane's table. Alex had stood up, hands in front of him.

'Woah, woah. Calm down old man. What's your prob-' He didn't have a chance to finish. Harvey punched him dead in the face knocking him back a few steps. 'Joba! What the fuck! You lunat-'

Smack! Harvey punched him again, and again.

'HARVEY STOP!' Jane shouted at him, which caused him to turn towards her. Even her shout was beautiful. He smiled drunkenly at her. He was too busy looking at Jane to notice the bar stool that came crashing down across his back. 'HARVEY!'

Everything went dark.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Harvey**

'Harvey? Harvey can you hear me?' A woman's voice called to him.

Someone was gently shaking him.

'What a lunatic. Did you see how he came at me? Dude broke my fucking nose!' A man's angry voice joined in.

'Your nose isn't broken. You shouldn't have hit him across the back like that like that, he hit his head when he fell. You might have given him a concussion.' The woman responded.

'Are you a doctor? What the fuck do you know? I was defending myself! He's crazy, he attacked me!'  
The man whined.

'Dr Harvey, can you hear me?' Another man's voice joined in repeating the woman's question, 'It's Demetrius, Maru's dad. Can you open your eyes for me?'

Harvey slowly opened his eyes. People were looking down at him. He was lying on his side, and couldn't remember how he got there. He felt dizzy, or was he drunk? Oh yeah, he had been drinking – he remembered that. The side of his head felt like it had been cracked open. He ran his hand through his hair, his fingers met with wetness. He looked down at his blood streaked palm, the red glistening under the dim light in the room.

'Oh, fuck!' he exclaimed and tried to stand up but someone strong pushed him back down, forcing him in to a seated position.

'Easy there, don't get up too fast,' Demetrius said in a calm voice, both hands on Harvey's shoulders restraining him, 'Stay there for a moment, you hit your head pretty hard.'

'Who hit me with a truck?' Harvey turned his head, wincing with pain, and saw Jane's face. She reached her hand up to his head and moved his hair aside looking at the blood. Her gentle touch sent a shiver down his spine. He studied her face, her freckles were fascinating, such an interesting trait. Her red hair looked so shiny and so soft, he just had to reach up and touch it.

'Dude, seriously. You're a dick!'

'Alex! Give it a rest!' Demetrius warned him.

'Here, it's clean'. Gus passed Jane a bar towel. It was green and probably said Heineken on it, but he didn't care because he was playing with her hair twisting it through his fingers.

'Harvey, how's your head feeling?' She asked putting the towel against his wound. Why was she talking to him like he was a child? There were cubes of ice inside the towel; he could feel the coldness coming through the cloth. He smiled at her for a moment but then gritted his teeth when she put pressure on his wound.

'It's quite painful. Perhaps I should go and see that idiot at the clinic. Oh wait – that's me, isn't it! Dr Idiot! I'm probably going to need stitches. I guess I'm fucked!' There was laughter, but Jane didn't seem amused. He winced again as she adjusted the position of the towel. 'I need a drink.' He managed to get up without being stopped.

'Oh Harvey please, look I'm sorry I said that before.' Jane bit her lip.

He leaned against the bar, using the counter to support himself up. His back hurt too, across his shoulders.

'Here, drink this.' Gus slid a glass of water in front of him. It sloshed on to the wood. There was condensation on the outside of the glass – it did look tempting, but Harvey shook his head.

'No, I'll have a beer.' He pushed the water to one side, dragged a bar stool closer to him and wobbled as he sat down. When Gus didn't get him the beer, he tapped the counter in front of him with his index finger three times. 'Beer. Now. Please.'

'Harvey, maybe have the water instead.' Robin, Demetrius' wife's voice came from somewhere behind Harvey.

He could feel blood dripping down his cheek. He closed his eyes thinking about sleep and felt himself slipping sideways. Demetrius steadied him.

'Hey, steady on Doc! Come on buddy let's get you home,' Demetrius said grabbing his arm and not giving him a choice. 'Alex will you get his other arm?'

'You're joking aren't you? I'm not helping him. The man's a loon!' Alex said angrily and stormed out of the bar.

'I'll help you,' Jane spoke up and grabbed Harvey's other arm, 'come on let's get him home. He's going to feel terrible about this in the morning.'

'I can hear you, you know.' Harvey piped up. 'Don't talk about me as if I'm not here, because I'm pretty sure I am here.' He started laughing. He was in a playful mood.

'He's definitely going to have a sore head in the morning,' Gus chuckled. This caused a roar of laughter in the bar, which lightened the mood somewhat.

There was a chorus of, 'Good night Doc,' as Demetrius and Jane helped Harvey out of the bar. Harvey welcomed the cool evening air as he stepped out in to the night.

His mouth felt dry, he really fancied that cold glass of water. His head throbbed and he felt very woozy from all the beer he'd drunk. As they helped him towards the clinic he listened to them talking.

'Have you ever seen him in this state before?' Jane asked. He could feel her wavy hair brushing against his face as they walked. Hmm ... her fruity shampoo. He smiled.

'No never. I don't think I've ever seen him drink alcohol before. He's normally got a cup of coffee and his nose stuck in one of those medical journals.' Demetrius answered.

'So tonight... that wasn't normal for him?' she asked, clearly trying to find out if Harvey was an violent drunk. Shit, is that how she saw him?

'Hey! I was honouring her defence' Harvey blurted out. He wasn't sure if he'd said that right.

'Hell no! Do you think I'd allow Maru to work for him if he was some kinda nutcase? He's a good guy, but he has his problems just like we all do. To be honest I think Maru is sweet on him, but I want her to concentrate on her studies.' What?

'No...um.. defending her honour.' Harvey tried again, but they ignored his inebriated gibberish. 'Maru is what now?'

'I can see why she would be,' Jane clearly wanted Harvey to hear her, 'but he is kind of an idiot at times.'

'Hey!' Harvey protested.

'Shush!' she nudged him in the ribs with her elbow, 'Keep walking.'

'Don't shush me shushy!' He made a shushing sound and giggled.

'Aren't we all idiotic at times?' Demetrius asked, 'anyway, everyone here in Pelican Town likes Dr Harvey and despite how he behaved tonight no one's going to hold any bad feeling towards him.' Oh that's nice.

'There might be one person.' She said through her teeth. She clearly meant Alex. Ahh, it was all coming back to him now. He hoped he had broken the asshole's nose!

'Alex, he's an asshole!' Harvey growled. He remembered punching him several times. He looked down at his right fist, and noticed the skin on his knuckles was scuffed. This caused him to start laughing again.

'I'll take him from here,' Jane offered.

'If you're sure? I have to get back to Robin anyway.'

'Yeah I'll be fine,' she said taking more of Harvey's weight as Demetrius let go of his arm. She groaned under his weight.

'Okay, well. Good night Doc, I'll leave you in the capable hands of Jane.' Demetrius headed back towards the bar. 'Try not to get in to anymore trouble.'

Jane didn't even ask Harvey for his keys. She rummaged through his pockets like she was foraging. He waited for her to open the front door and then said, 'I'm fine, you can leave,' as he stumbled up the stairs to his apartment.

'Harvey - you are clearly not fine. I think I'll stay for a while to make sure you haven't got a concussion. You hit your head pretty hard.' She flicked on the lights, and then pointed to his head.

'Oh shit, that...' He remembered the wound on his head, and made his way back down the stairs. Pushing open his office door he said, 'I may need your help.'

'Wait? No! You're too wobbly.'

'That's why I need your help.' He grinned, finding the situation suddenly very amusing. Searching through his cupboards he found what he needed; a curved suture needle, a pair of scissors, a packet of nylon thread, and a bottle of sterilising spray. He threw it down on his desk. 'Please sterilise your hands Jane. I'm ready when you are.'

'What the hell Harvey? I can't stitch you up. I can't even sew!' She seemed quite worried. He was amused and couldn't help laugh. 'Harvey I'm serious!'

'Okay, fine. Pass me that mirror over there.' She did as he asked and he took it from her. Their hands touched briefly. He held it up at an angle and assessed his wound. 'Three sutures should do it.'

'Harvey are you sure you should be doing this? I mean, you've been drinking?' She had a look of worry on her face.

'Hold the mirror please, and don't move it.' He positioned the mirror, then washed and dried his hands. 'Don't worry. I know what I'm doing,' he smiled at Jane.

Tearing open the needle packet he held the curved metal up in front of his face. The metal glinted under the florescent lighting. He saw her throat twitch as she gulped nervously. He tore the packet open, removed the thread and pushed the clear nylon through the eye of the needle.

'Harvey!'

'Here goes nothing.' He pinched his skin together and pushed the needle through, pulled the thread and tied it off. 'Hand me the scissors.' She passed him the scissors with the hand not holding the mirror. He cut the excess thread. 'Thank you. Just two more times.'

'You must be numb from the booze. You didn't make a sound Harvey. Surely that must have hurt!' She stated, to which he responded by shrugging his shoulders and smiling drunkenly. Doctoring was his expertise, whether he was drunk or sober he was good at it. That, and she was right the alcohol was masking the pain.

When he had finished and had cleared everything away she helped him up to his apartment, steadying him with her hand on his shoulder.

'I actually don't remember hitting my head.' He said undoing his belt buckle. He dropped his pants on the floor and tried to pull one of his legs free but the pant leg wouldn't detach from his foot because he'd left his shoes on. He was quite confused and was stumbling around like he was a prison inmate in leg-irons.

'Here, let me help.' She sat him down on his bed. He flopped backwards looking up at the ceiling. She undid the laces on his shoes one by one, letting them drop to the floor. 'Aren't doctors meant to be smart? You left your bloody shoes on!'

He yawned and drifted off to sleep.

**Jane**

He was asleep, on top of his bed. She removed his pants from his ankles, and pushed his legs on to the bed so he wasn't hanging off. She hadn't noticed his underwear at first, but when she saw them she couldn't help but laugh. There were cartoon aeroplanes on his underpants. What an odd choice for a grown man she thought, but she knew you could buy anything on the internet these days. She took his glasses off his face and placed them on his bedside cabinet where he could easily find them in the morning.

He was a big man, not overweight, quite tall and powerfully built. He was quite a handsome man, despite his daft moustache. She removed his necktie, and undid the top two buttons on his shirt.

She jumped when he grabbed her hands, but realised he was still sleeping and relaxed when he let go. 'Fucking hell!' she yelled loudly. She was surprised her scream hadn't woken him up, but after the day's events she imagined he would sleep like a rock.

Jane scanned his apartment with her eyes. It was quite a small living space, he kept it tidy. There was a desk by the window with a Ham Radio, which peaked her curiosity. Why would Harvey need a radio... was he a spy? She laughed; no way... he'd make a terrible spy. But what if he really was a spy!

She picked up the wired handset and said, 'May day, may day, may day,' and then put it back in it's cradle giggling.

She wandered over to the bookcase and ran her index finger across a row of books. Medical books, more medical books, books about building model aircrafts, and other subjects she didn't find interesting.

His kitchen was in the corner. She checked on Harvey to make sure he was still asleep, and then looked through his kitchen cabinets and finally his fridge freezer. She was shocked there was not one item of fresh fruit or vegetable anywhere. His freezer was chock full of TV dinners.

'For a doctor you really don't look after your own health do you,' she said out loud. He didn't stir.

She found a blanket in one of the cupboards and threw it over him. He was snoring loudly like a piece of construction machinery.

She sat on his sofa and watched him sleep, he looked peaceful. She thought about what he'd said in the bar about her being on a date with Alex. Why would he even think that?

**Earlier on that evening**

Jane had an extra long shower. Falling in to the fountain had chilled her to the bone so she'd turned up the temperature and stayed under the hot water another twenty minutes letting it wash away her stresses. Her bathroom was very steamy when she stepped out of the shower cubicle. She felt relaxed, her muscles had loosened and she was free of aches and pains. That kiss had done miracles for her.

Wrapped in her bathrobe she opened her wardrobe and flipped through her clothes. Dungarees, jeans, chinos, combats, and dresses. Jane owned three dresses, one black suit dress for formal occasions, a pink skater skirt she thought was quite pretty matched with a frilly white blouse that was attached to the hanger, and a sparkly red sequinned dress she'd probably never wear again.

She chose the pink skirt and blouse. Looking in the mirror she told herself, 'You look nice Jane.' She smiled at her reflection feeling happy with how it looked on her. She moistened her lips with a pearlescent lip balm and sprayed her neck and wrists with a light eu de toilet. She pulled on her sandals, grabbed her clutch purse and headed out to Gus' place.

She wondered if he would be there.

She entered the bar and ordered herself a drink from Gus. 'Hi Gus, how's your day been? Can I get a beer please?'

He passed her a beer and smiled at her saying, 'It's been good thanks, but I've not been able to get out in to the sunshine today with all the inventory checking I've been doing. You look lovely in that get up – have you got a date tonight?'

She blushed, 'No, I just felt like getting out of my overalls for a change.' She took her drink and found a table with a good view of the doorway. She felt a bit silly, like a school girl with a crush.

The door opened. A couple walked in holding hands. Aww, that's so sweet she thought. She watched them order their drinks, the husband had a beer and the wife had a glass of white wine. They found a table on the other side of the room.

Jane sipped at her beer feeling nervous. What would she say to him? Should she play it cool, and pretend not to notice him?

The door opened again and a man walked in. She didn't recognise him, but that wasn't unusual. She kept to herself so there were bound to be lots of residents she was yet to meet. He had a swagger to his walk, and he appeared to be searching the room for something or someone. She drank a bit more of her beer, watching the man order himself a drink. She couldn't hear what he was saying to Gus but she could see he was at ease talking to him, like he had a tonne of confidence. The man glanced her way, perhaps Gus mentioned her during their chat, because he came over to her table.

'Hey there, can I buy you a drink?' The way he smiled at her was like he was posing for a selfie. 'What you drinking there, beer? He was grinning at her; perhaps he thought he was Mr Smooth.

'Actually... I'm ok for a drink.' She said nervously trying to look past him, keeping her eye on the door.

He sat in the empty seat and slid closer to her. 'It's cool, my treat I'll buy you a beer. So uhh... you the lady farmer then?'

'Lady Farmer? That sounds like something you'd trim your pubic hair with.' She laughed her own joke. ' My name is Jane.' She held out her hand, but to her surprise he brought it up to his lips and kissed it. She burst out laughing. Was this guy for real? 'Do men still do that?'

'Real men do. I'm Alex, nice to meet you Jane,' he kissed her hand again before releasing it, 'I love your perfume, it's got a really floral scent to it. I bet the men chase after you like bees to honey when you wear that.' He leaned in a breathed her scent in. What the fuck?

'I don't actually wear it that often,' she said feeling uncomfortable. She shifted in her seat trying to see if he'd come in to the bar, and she spotted him sitting on a bar stool hunched over a beer with his elbows on the counter. When did he arrive?

'You should, you smell gorgeous and you look so damn hot in that dress.' He leaned in towards her, and she noticed his eyes gazing down at her legs.

'What about that drink you were offering?' she reminded him in an attempt to get rid of him. His comments were over the top. Maybe they worked on ditzy blonde girls but they didn't and would never work on her.

She watched Alex talking to Harvey, but Harvey didn't seem in an interactive mood. Maybe she should go over and rescue him. Before she decided whether to go over or not Alex was back with two beers.

'Here you go,' he passed her a bottle of beer but didn't let go and for a moment they were having a tug of war with the bottle. 'Ha ha, I knew you enjoy that,' he said when he finally released his grip and let her have it.

Confused, she got up and walked towards the bar. What was that? Was that meant to simulate her jacking him off? What a weirdo!

She placed a hand on Harvey's shoulder. 'Harvey are you ok?' she asked concerned, and also hoped to sit with him and get away from that creep.

'Yes, I'm perfectly fine.' He sounded really drunk. Why had he let himself get in this state she. 'How's your date going?' He sounded sarcastic. Date? What was wrong with him?

'Date?' What was he going on about? Oh, did he mean... he thought she and Alex were on a date. Was he jealous?

Before he responded he had a coughing fit and he used his inhaler. 'You're sitting with Alex, and he's buying you drinks. My assessment is... you are on a date.' He was being rude.

She was worried about him; he was so drunk he couldn't find his pocket so she helped him put his inhaler away. She wouldn't stand there being spoken to rudely so she said, 'Have a coffee Harvey; you look like you need one.'

He chose to ignore her advice; instead he asked Gus for another drink. She shrugged. 'It's your choice; you're the doctor so you know best.' She went back to her table, wishing she hadn't bothered going to to speak to him. She heard Gus say something to Harvey about a coffee.

'Give me that beer,' she ordered Alex and sat down next to him. 'Men are so... insufferable!'

Alex laughed, 'Yep, that's us!' he excused himself, 'I need a piss.' He disappeared off in the direction of the male toilets. Oh what a wonderful way with words he has. Why was she still sitting with him? She should probably go home, it was getting late anyway.

After a short while Alex came back looking rather smug. She was about to tell him she was going to head home when she heard Harvey shout across the room.

'YOU COCKY BASTARD!' Harvey stood up so clumsily that his stool fell over and clattered to the floor. The sound reverberated around the room. There were gasps, and people were muttering inaudible comments.

The room went so silent she heard Gus say, 'Come on now Doc how about that coffee?'

'YOU THINK YOU CAN HAVE ANY WOMAN YOU WANT!' Harvey shouted as he headed for Alex. He seemed enraged. What the heck was going on? She saw Alex put his hands up in some sort of negotiation tactic.

'Woah, woah. Calm down old man. What's your prob-' He didn't have a chance to finish speaking. Harvey punched him in the face, which caused Alex to stumble backwards. 'Joba! What the fuck! You lunat-'

Jane was frozen to her seat. Harvey punched Alex twice more, each time there was a loud smack sound as Harvey's fist landed on Alex's face. Alex didn't stand a chance. Harvey was really going to hurt him if she didn't intervene.

'HARVEY STOP!' Jane shouted at him. It worked, it got his attention. He smiled drunkenly at her. Unfortunately she shouted, 'HARVEY!' a second too late and was unable to warn him. Alex had picked up a bar stool and brought it down across Harvey's back. He dropped instantly and everyone heard the loud crack as his skull hit the hard floor.

Fuuuuucccckkkk!

**On the sofa**

She felt her eyelids getting heavy. 'Good night Harvey,' she whispered and curled up on the sofa, listening to his snoring before falling asleep herself.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**Harvey**

He opened his eyes but closed them again, putting a hand in front of his face to block out the sunlight that was pouring in to the room. It was so bright. Squinting he realised he must have forgotten to draw the curtains when he went to bed last night.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, and placed his feet on the wooden floorboards. He noticed he was still wearing his shirt and socks. Where were his pyjamas? His neck and back were painfully stiff, and his head was pounding. He stood up from the bed feeling slightly wobbly.

As he walked over to the kitchen, with his hand up to his temple trying to massage the pain away, he glanced towards the sofa and realised he wasn't alone. Jane was curled up on her side, her eyes were closed and she was snoring. He smiled. She looked sweet he thought, but her snoring wasn't very ladylike and neither was that saliva that hung from her lip. He grabbed the blanket off his bed and placed it over her gently, trying not to disturb her. Feeling a little exposed he grabbed his grey dressing gown off the wall hook and put it on.

In the kitchen he ran the tap and filled a glass with cold water, gulped it down, and refilled it. He found some painkillers in a drawer, popped out two capsules and swallowed them washing away the bitter taste with the second glass of water. He rinsed out and then placed the empty glass upside down on the draining rack. He touched the side of his head with his fingers. He felt the dressing from last night and chuckled at the memory of Jane squirming and wondered if he could have teased her further. She really thought she was going to have to stitch him up.

He brewed a pot of coffee, thinking he needed some caffeine to face the day. He'd made such a fool of himself, and guessed he needed to make more than a few apologies. The satisfaction of punching Alex in the face more than made it worthwhile. That and he'd got the girl... well, sort of. She was in his apartment and that was a start.

He filled a cup with coffee and took a seat in the armchair opposite the sofa. Jane was snoozing. The aroma of coffee filled his nostrils, it was one of his favourite smells.

**Jane**

Jane woke up to the smell of coffee. She yawned, stretched, and uncurled her body from sleeping awkwardly. She felt something cold and wet on her face and used the back of her hand to wipe he drool away. 'Yuck!' she said out loud and without thinking wiped it on the sofa. She instantly regretted her actions when she realised Harvey was watching her from the armchair. His predatory green eyes were staring at her intensely over his coffee cup. Oh shit, he didn't see that did he?

'Oh! Uhh...' she exclaimed, feeling both surprised and embarrassed. She sat upright, and the blanket that had been covering her fell to one side.

'Good morning,' Harvey said behind his coffee cup, his eyes glinted with amusement.

'Morning Harvey,' she responded and then asked, 'how's your head feeling?' She folded the blanket giving her hands something to do because she felt very awkward.

'It's a little sore,' He answered shrugging his shoulders, and then placed his cup down on the table. She could see his face better. He needed a shave. His hair needed brushing, and his moustache needed a comb. She was quite amused at seeing him unkempt, but the aeroplane underpants were a bit much... especially the way he was sitting with his legs apart.

'I'm not surprised,' she said trying not to look at his silly underwear, 'you had quite the evening.'

He looked away embarrassed. 'Yeah, about that... I'm sorry. I'm really not that guy, and-

'-It's ok Harvey; you don't need to explain yourself to me.' She stood up and smoothed the ruffles out of her skirt with her hands. 'I'm just glad you're ok.' She smiled at him remembering how crazy he was last night, but she had to admit he was extremely dexterous when it came to needle work.

He offered her a coffee, but she declined telling him she'd better get back to her farm.

'I'll ...uhh... walk you to the door,' he stuttered nervously.

'The door is literally four feet away Harvey.' She laughed.

'I'd still like to walk you there, if you'll let me.' He smiled shyly, and indicated with his hand that she should walk with him. Three steps later they were there.

'I'll see you around Harvey, take care of yourself...ok?' She placed a hand to his face, remembering the loud crack his skull had made when he hit the floor.

'Wait, don't go just yet.' He grasped her hand in his and held it against his stubbly cheek. She took a step towards him, and he leaned down and planted a kissed her on the cheek. 'Jane-' he started, but she didn't let him finish his sentence. She smiled, looked in to his eyes, cupped his face with her hands and pulled him in to a deep kiss.

When she released him, he was gasping for air. He wasn't the only one who could kiss amazingly. She slipped her hand in to his dressing gown pocket, her hand gently brushed against his thigh through the material and her fingers found what they were searching for. 'Ahh,' he moaned, his mouth gaping as she stared in to his eyes.

She tossed him his inhaler and said, 'See you later Doctor.'

He couldn't seem to inhale the medicine fast enough. 'I'M BUYING YOU DINNER!' he shouted in the midst of trying to get his breath back.

Jane blew him a kiss, which he caught and planted on his cheek rather clumsily. The slap sound echoed around Harvey's apartment. That dopey drunk smile was back on his face. Jane giggled knowing he'd be thinking about her all day.

**Harvey**

Thinking some fresh air might do him some good Harvey went for a walk. He locked the front door, pocketed his keys and took the steps that lead up to the park.

The air was much cooler, and a few golden brown leaves danced about as they detached from the tree branches. The summer season was coming to an end. Harvey was relieved. He enjoyed the warm weather but hated the mosquitoes; they seemed to have an unquenchable thirst for his blood.

He wore his Jeans and short sleeved t-shirt instead of his usual attire. The writing on the t-shirt read Trust me I'm a pilot. If only he was a real pilot he thought, flying an aeroplane, soaring high through the clouds - that had been his childhood dream.

He saw Jas and Vincent playing on the swings together. They waved when they saw him. He loved children, they were so sweet. He smiled and waved back, happy to see them having fun. He remembered how upset Vincent had been after he'd administered his vaccinations last week, he had screamed the clinic down but brightened up when Harvey presented him with a lollypop.

Harvey carried on past the old community centre thinking it was about time someone took on the task of bringing it back to life. It had been left to years of neglect, and signs of damage from many storms were showing. The dark windows gave the building a creepy look. Ivy was growing up one side of the building, and there appeared to be a leaves growing out of the roof. Perhaps the creepiest thing was the clock on the wall that always read 12:25, the hands were rusted, frozen in time. It was like a time of death, the moment the happiness drained from the building and no one ever cared for it again.

A shiver went down Harvey's spine and he continued past the building, avoiding peering in to those windows. The thought of whom or what might peer back at him made him increase his pace a little. He followed the path north listening to the river that flowed alongside it. A few ducks floated by, probably hoping for some bread but Harvey didn't have any. They seemed to quack disappointedly when he didn't stop to feed them.

The Carpenter's shop was up ahead. He felt tired and a bit out of breath from walking up the hill, and made a mental note to walk more often. He pushed open the front door and heard a bell ding as he entered the building, alerting his presence to the carpenter.

'Good morning Dr Harvey,' Robin smiled. She was standing behind the counter at the cash register where she usual took her carpentry orders. 'Is there anything I can get you? Are you looking to buy or is this a medical visit?'

'It's a, um... social call. Is Demetrius about?' Harvey asked trying to peer round the corner.

'Yeah, he's in his lab,' Robin smiled, 'Go in, he'll be happy to see you. I'll make you a coffee.'

As Harvey walked down the hall Sebastian, Robin's son, appeared and the pair almost bumped in to one another.

'Watch where you're going idiot! Oh, I thought you were him. Sebastian appeared to be in a bad mood. 'Sorry Doc!'

'It's ok, it was probably my fault. Who did you think I was?' Harvey asked curiously, his headache was returning.

'Maru's dad, my stepfather Demetrius! The guys an ass!' Sebastian frowned, and looked back over his shoulder. 'I gotta go before I do something that gets me kicked out!'

Sebastian pushed past Harvey and slammed the front door behind him as he left the house. The door shook in its frame and Harvey felt his brain rattle in his skull. He shook his head in disapproval and sighed, 'Kids!' he said under his breath. He carried on down the hall and entered Demetrius' lab.

The room was too bright, and very white. The floor tiles were white, and the cupboard doors were white. It was a bit much for Harvey's headache and caused him to squint and shield his eyes with his hand. He couldn't focus on anything, let alone see where Demetrious was.

He heard a newspaper rustle. 'Oh, sorry Doc, let me kill the lights,' Demetrius set his newspaper down and flipped a few switches. The lights dimmed and Harvey was thankful. 'I take it you've got a bad head this morning?' He tapped the side of his own head.

'Yeah, it's pretty bad. I thought the fresh air might help.' He breathed out feeling slightly nauseous. Demetrius opened the refrigerator, took out a bottle of water and threw it to Harvey. He caught it, unscrewed the cap and downed half the bottle. 'Thanks.'

'You did quite the number on Alex's face. Poor kid's got two black eyes and won't be taking any selfies for a while.' Demetrius scratched an itch under his chin, appearing to be amused but not wanting to condone Harvey's actions.

Harvey suddenly felt terrible. He took an oath to help people, not beat them to a pulp. He looked down at the floor, and mindlessly started peeling back the dressing on the side of his head. When he realised what he was doing he stopped and pressed it back down wincing as he touched a sore spot.

'Demetrious, I just wanted to apologise for my behaviour last night. I shouldn't have gone after Alex like that.' Harvey felt his face going red, his cheeks felt warm.

'Someone was bound to give that kid a few slaps at some point. It shouldn't have been you though. You've got a reputation to uphold, and being the town doctor you can't drink like that... especially if it brings out that side of you. That was like some Mr Hyde shit or something.

'He said some things about Jane and I don't know... it hit a nerve. '

'Look, don't beat yourself up about it. Pun intended. You can't undo what's been done. Just learn from it, control your emotions, and move on. You like her... right?' Demetrious waited for Harvey to answer, but when he didn't he said, 'Come on man? You can tell me, we're buddies right?'

'I... I like her,' Harvey stammered and then added, 'and that's all I'm saying on the matter!' He couldn't look Demetrious in the eye so let his eyes wander around the lab. There were various jars and test tubes containing samples. He thought they looked like rock minerals but couldn't be sure.

'Well, offer to buy her dinner, and shave. You look like that homeless guy Linus!'

Harvey laughed, and chose not to disclose that he had in fact asked Jane out to dinner. He was about to leave when he remembered he'd seen Sebastian in an agitated state. 'I saw Sebastian when I came in. He seemed upset.' Harvey mentioned cautiously, not wanting to interfere.

'Ah, my delightful stepson! He's always upset about something or other and that something is usually to do with me. He says I make his life unfair. All I ask is that he find something meaningful to do with his life instead of playing those damn video games all the time. '

'Kids eh?' Harvey shrugged, not really knowing what to say and also not having a clue when it came to kids. 'I'd better be going.'

'Good luck!

Robin appeared with two cups of coffee, but Harvey apologised and made a quick exit.

Harvey followed the path west of Robin and Demetrious' house, not realising he'd taken the wrong route back to the clinic. His head was full of thoughts of Jane, and the way she'd kissed him in his apartment. He wondered when he'd see her again. Would he need to make up some excuse for a home visit, or maybe she would injure herself and he'd have to come to her rescue. No, that's an awful thought Harvey! He walked down some steps and through a narrow passage. Perhaps she would come to him, or maybe they would bump in to one another at Pierre's store.

'Shit!' He said through gritted teeth. Jane was feeding her chickens, throwing corn down on to the ground for them to peck at. He had somehow ended up at her farm! He froze, hoping she wouldn't notice him. She seemed happy, and was whistling a tune. Her farm appeared to be coming along well, there were lots of leafy green plants and colourful flowers. He wouldn't have a clue what they were though, he didn't know a lot about horticulture.

Jane disappeared out of view so he moved further on to her land and hid behind a barn, trying to see where she'd gone. He saw her tinkering with what looked like a sprinkler. He saw her kick it. She walked away. He moved closer, leaning around the side of the barn. She came back with a hand tool and he watched her trying to loosen a nut but failing. She lost her temper and gave the sprinkler whack with the tool. That worked! The sprinkler exploded and an enormous quantity of water sprayed out and took Jane by surprise. She fell back in to the mud. Harvey roared with laughter and instantly regretted it. His cover was blown.

'Who's there? I've got weapons and I know how to use them!' He saw Jane picking herself up from the floor, she looked wet and out for blood. She was glaring, her eyes searching towards his location. He saw her pick up the tool she'd be using on the sprinkler.' You'd better run!' she warned.

Harvey couldn't move his feet fast enough, and he tripped on a rake and lost his footing. He fell backwards and landed on a pile of buckets. Oh, for fuck sake! The metal clanging sounds were enough to alert her of his exact position. 'It's me! It's Harvey! You don't need to hurt me!' He was sitting on the ground with his hands out in a defensive posture.

Her expression changed from fight mode to confusion. 'Harvey? What... what are you doing here?' she asked. She dropped the tool and held out her hand. He took it and she helped him to his feet. She was strong, and he was impressed.

'I... umm... came to check you were still on for dinner?' He felt his neck and face heating up, and was sure he looked as red as the radishes Jane was growing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Harvey**

Harvey watched the door anxiously waiting for her to appear. He really hoped she hadn't changed her mind. He felt fidgety, and sat picking at a beer mat tearing bits of cardboard off. The door opened, and he sat up straight but it wasn't Jane. It was Pam returning to the bar after going outside to smoke a cigarette. He'd told her so many times how bad they were for her health but she continued to ignore his advice. He shook his head in disapproval.

Gus came over to his table with some lemony cleaning spray and a cloth. He sprayed and wiped Harvey's table, and asked if he could get him a drink. 'I'll have a beer please,' Harvey asked peering past Gus when the door opened again. It was Jane, she hadn't stood him up. She waved when she spotted him. He felt his heart beat faster in his chest as she made her way over to his table.

'Okay, but you gotta go easy Doc. I've had strict orders from Mayor Lewis about limiting your drinking.'

'Hold up a second! Lewis said what?'

'Hello Harvey, you look nice,' Jane said which diverted his attention from what Gus had said. She looked beautiful. She was wearing skinny jeans and a white blouse. Around her neck she wore a thin gold chain, and had tied her red hair in to a braid that trailed down her back.

'You look amazing Jane.' He stood up and pulled the chair out for her.

'Aren't you the gentleman,' Jane laughed as she sat down. He liked her smile; her whole face lit up when she smiled. 'Could I have a beer please,' Jane asked Gus who was still hanging around.

'Two beers,' Harvey added and suddenly remembered what Gus had said. He frowned at the other man, and then returned to his seat opposite Jane. It wasn't the time to get in to an argument., he was on a date afterall. 'You really do look amazing Jane.'

Jane blushed. 'Thank you. It's a new blouse, I caught the bus in to the city and I felt like I was there all day. I'm not really big on clothes shopping, so it took me a while to choose something I liked.'

'It's a lovely top.' He complimented having another look.

Gus returned with their beers and said, 'Don't shoot the messenger Doc,' as he placed the bottles on the table. Harvey frowned again.

'What was that about?' Jane asked giving Harvey a questioning look.

'Nothing, it's just Lewis being his usual busy body self.' He shrugged, 'So does anything on the menu take your fancy? It's my treat remember.' He tried not to let the message Gus had relayed to him bother him, but he was peeved.

Jane picked up the menu and studied the food choices. 'I'll have a cheeseburger; I've yet to try one.' She put her menu down and took a sip of her beer. Unlike him she didn't appear to be nervous at all.

He already knew what meal he was having, it was one of his favourites, an all day breakfast. He went over to the bar and placed their order with Gus and then returned to his seat. Whilst they waited for their meals they got to know each other better. Jane told Harvey about her life before moving to the farm.

'The biggest highlight of my day was having my name called in Starbucks when my coffee was ready to collect. Working in that office was dull, and every day was the same boring routing. That's why I love it out here. On the farm I'm my own boss and I like it that way. How about you, have you always lived and worked here?

Harvey took a drink of his beer and thought about how much he wanted to share with Jane. 'I used to live in another town, about fifty miles from here. It was where I grew up, where my parents still have a house.' He took another drink, the last gulp and emptied the bottle. He waved to Gus but the bartender seemed not to notice.

Jane asked, 'What happened? Why did you move so far from home?' She held his gaze.

Harvey took a moment before he said, 'I was young and thought I was in love. She got pregnant but didn't want to keep the baby.' He paused, and tried getting Gus' attention again without success. 'Uh, what is up with that guy?'

'It's ok, I'll get us another beer.' Jane told him. He watched her ordering their drinks, and saw Gus glance his way whilst he and Jane were in conversation. When she returned with the beers she looked slightly annoyed but said, 'I think I'll have diet coke after this to pace myself, what do you say?'

Harvey frowned. 'I think I'm leaving!' He stood up to leave but at that moment their food arrived, and his all day breakfast looked too good to leave so he sat back down. 'I'll be having words with Lewis tomorrow.

'Calm down Harvey, we're meant to be on a date... remember?' she said looking around the room, probably to see if anyone was looking. 'I do think it's over the top, but it just shows they care about you Harvey.' She put some salt on her French fries.

He sighed and tucked in to his meal. 'I'm sorry – what were we talking about?' he asked her.

She smiled and wiped her mouth with her napkin. She'd taken a bite of her cheeseburger and had ketchup at the corner of her lips. She swallowed and said, 'You were telling me about before you moved here. You got a girl pregnant.' She grinned.

He felt his cheeks going warm. 'It wasn't like that! I was in love. She didn't want to keep the baby and I didn't have any say in the matter.' He picked up a piece of toast and took a bite. 'I left not long after she told me she'd terminated the pregnancy. That was ten years ago, and I've been here ever since.'

'Oh wow, sorry for prying Harvey. That must have been tough.' She took another bite of her burger and the tomato slipped out and landed on her plate with a splat sound. 'Ooops!'

'It's in the past,' he said his eyes focused on the sausage he was cutting up, 'so what about you? Any exciting adventures, ever jilt a guy at the altar?' He said as he brought a piece of sausage up to his mouth. While he chewed, he thought about what he'd told her. Had he said too much?

Jane cheekily dipped her French fry in the blob of ketchup that was on Harvey's plate. He pretended to frown but then smiled and waited for her to spill her secrets. 'Actually, I was almost married once but it wasn't him that got jilted. He was my high school sweetheart, and I was twenty one and like you I was in love. The arrangements were made, my dad had paid for my dress and my mom paid for the flowers. The flowers were beautiful, white lilies which are my favourite variety. On the day of our wedding, after I'd walked up the aisle, he said he couldn't go through with it and he left me standing there holding my bouquet.

Harvey was dumbfounded. 'He left you at the altar! What kind of asshole leaves their bride to be at the altar! You must have felt devastated.'

Jane shrugged and said, 'I was distraught at the time, but I guess it's life, and it wasn't meant to be. Maybe I had a lucky escape. It's his loss.'

'Yes, and my gain.' Harvey said and then realised what he'd said and felt stupid. He took another drink of his beer.

Jane seemed amused but didn't comment, and instead chose to ask, 'So umm... how long have you had Asthma? Have you had it since you were a child?'

Harvey sighed. His asthma was the bane of his life, always there, never letting him catch a break. 'No, I was pretty healthy as a boy. I did sports, soccer when I was about eight or nine years old and then lacrosse when I attended medical school.

'Oh, wow... I never pictured you as in to sports.' Jane's eyes lit up.

Harvey laughed. 'It was a while ago, and I'm so unfit nowadays I can barely keep up with the women at keep-fit.' He drank more beer, and wondered whether he should have admitted to being unfit.

'So...?' Jane asked smiling.

'Oh, umm... Three years a go there was an incident in the mines. Three teenagers had ventured in on a dare and to drink liqueur without getting caught by Mom and Dad. There had been an earthquake two weeks prior and unbeknownst to anyone it had caused structural damage to the beams that supported the tunnel walls within the mines.

'Oh my gosh, were they trapped? Did they survive?' Jane asked anxiously.

'One of the kids came running to the clinic crying. He was initially incoherent, talking nonsense. Maru wasn't working at the clinic then, Pam was. She helped out now and then just like Maru does now. She was able to calm him down and got him to explain what had happened.' He paused to catch his breath and then continued. 'I grabbed my medical bag and called on Lewis and Pierre. The three of us headed up to the mines. I went ahead of them. I could hear screaming, and so I shouted back to Pierre to call an ambulance. Lewis stayed near the entrance to the mines. I found the other two boys, one was already dead crushed by rocks and the other had a broken leg, the femur was protruding through the skin.'

'Poor kids, and so sad that one boy died. You were brave going in after them. Did you managed to get the boy with the broken leg out?'

'Yes, but not right away. I cleaned and set his leg as well as I could in those conditions. As we were leaving the ceiling came down and trapped us in the cavern. There was a cloud of coal dust that got on to my lungs. It was awful, and for the next five days I had no choice but to breathe it in. The rescue service eventually got to us, but the coal dust had permanently damaged by lungs and as a consequence I developed asthma.'

'Oh, well as awful as that is... it's better to be alive with asthma than be dead Harvey. You are a hero, and so brave. You saved that boys life.'

He blushed. 'Thanks, I was just doing my job. Come on, shall I get the bill and then we can go for a walk. Anyway, I doubt Gus will serve me another beer. I'm definitely having words with the Mayor tomorrow.'

**Jane**

They held hands as they walked together through the town. It was dark and a cold autumnal breeze was blowing. She shivered and watched as Harvey removed his jacket and placed it over her shoulders. She thanked him for his kind gesture. She had never been offered a man's jacket before. Her ex-fiancé, the man that had jilted her at the altar wasn't the romantic type. His name was Jack. The only romantic thing they ever did was share a bag of chips whilst watching a football game. After they went their separate ways, after the tears stopped falling she wondered what she saw in him. She expected it was just a habit, they had been together so long that the natural progression seemed obvious... they should get married. Harvey took her hand again and she felt a tingle go up her arm. His hand was warm.

They crossed the bridge, which creaked under their weight. It seemed sturdy enough but the creaking unnerved her. They passed Eliott's cabin. She could see a light flickering in the window and wondered if he was up writing poetry. Harvey kicked off his shoes and she did the same, leaving them lined up next to each other on the wooden walk way. As she stepped on to the beach the sand felt soft but cold beneath her feet. She playfully kicked some sand on to Harvey's jeans and ran away.

'Hey, come back!' he shouted and set off after her. She giggled as he chased her along the beach and screamed when he caught her. She tripped and they both fell on to the sand laughing. Jane was on her back and Harvey landed next to her.

'Caught you,' Harvey said as he moved over to Jane and brushed sand from her cheek with his hand. 'Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?' he asked.

She felt slightly nervous but excited at the same time. 'You said I looked amazing, but I won't mind hearing you say it.' She felt breathless, his face was so close to hers.

'You are the most beautiful woman I have ever encountered', he said then tilted her face towards his and planted his lips on hers. She groaned with pleasure and placed her hands on the sides of his face. He moved his mouth to her cheek, then to her jaw line, and then to her neck planting kisses.

It felt so good, she closed her eyes enjoying the sensation. 'Oh Harvey, that's so nice.' He moved his hand under her blouse, and slipped his fingers under bra. 'Harvey!' she exclaimed in surprise as his fingertips touched her nipple.

He sat up and said, ' I'm sorry, is it too fast? Should I stop?' She didn't answer, instead she pulled him by his shirt collar with both hands back down towards her and kissed him, her tongue slipped in to his mouth and he cried out with pleasure. Realising he needed to breathe she released him from the kiss. 'Wow, where did that come from?' he gasped for air and then returned his hand to her breast. He moved his mouth to her nipple and sucked on it, flicking his tongue across it. It was pleasure overload but she needed more. She could feel his erection against her groin and needed to feel him. She moved her hands down to his jeans and undid his belt buckle. Reaching in to his underpants she grasped hold of his manhood and tugged at it gently. He almost crumpled on top of her moaning out with pleasure as she moved her hand up and down.

'Oh fuck,' he cried out. He sat back and undid her jeans; he slid them down her legs and pulled them over her ankles. He discarded them and returned to remove her panties. She bit her lip as he slid them down her legs and tossed them on top of her jeans.

'Harvey, please... I want you... I need you,' she begged and he leaned his body down towards hers. Slipping in between her thighs he entered her and she cried out, 'ahhhh,' as she felt his thickness.

**Harvey**

He kissed her and continued to play with her nipples. She wrapped her legs around his waist pulling him in deeper. He began thrusting, slow and gentle at first but increased the pace as his need for her grew. Her vagina felt silky. Her fingers were in his hair tugging at the strands. He looked in to her eyes as he reached the pivotal moment; his body shuddered as he ejaculated in to her. Moments later he heard her cry out as her orgasm followed.

'Oh, Harvey... that was amazing!' she said panting. She was laying half naked in the sand.

He couldn't breathe. He had to find his inhaler. Where was it? He frantically searched the pockets of his jeans. He started patting the ground thinking it might be under the sand. His chest was tight and he was panicking. He didn't usually panic but not knowing where his inhaler was had made him anxious. He felt light headed and couldn't think straight.

'Harvey! Look at me!' but he couldn't. He couldn't focus, he couldn't breathe. His airways were closing and his wheeze was loud and raspy. 'Harvey, open your mouth and breathe.' Jane had his inhaler, and had placed it to his lips. He breathed in and then snatched the inhaler from her hand and breathed in more until he felt his airways opening up again.

'Harvey should I call you an ambulance?' she asked pulling on her jeans. She was still wearing his jacket and he realised his inhaler must have been in one of the pockets. He shook his head, he didn't want to go to hospital.

He pulled up his own jeans and then brushed the sand off his legs. He helped Jane to her feet and pulled her in to a hug. He didn't want to let go, partly because she was supporting him, but mainly because he never wanted to let her go. 'You are amazing Jane! I'm sorry. ' He kissed her forehead.

'Let's get you home Harvey,' she said and pulled him by the hand to where they'd left their shoes. He noticed the light was still on in Elliott's cabin, and hoped he wouldn't be featured in his next poem.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**  
****

**Jane**

She woke up and looked at the alarm clock on the bedside cabinet. Oh, Joba! It was gone 9am! She was in Harvey's bed, under his blanket. He was lying next to her gently snoozing. She carefully lifted his arm from around her waist trying not to wake him, and tucked the blanket around him. She found her clothes scattered on the floor, her boots were by the front door... obviously the first things she had kicked off when they entered Harvey's apartment. Where was her bra?

She lifted up the cushions on the sofa, checked behind the sofa, checked the bathroom, but couldn't find it. She got dressed thinking she'd ask Harvey to look for it later, and hoped no one realised she wasn't wearing a bra. She actually hoped no one would see her leaving the clinic. She sat on the sofa to pull on her boots and looked across at Harvey. He seemed so sweet with his hair all messed up from sleep. Last night had been amazing. She'd enjoying talking with him, and hadn't expected to have sex on the beach or in Harvey's apartment for that matter. She felt bad for leaving without saying good bye but she wanted to make a quick exit so as not to be seen by any of the villagers. She wanted to keep things between them quiet for the moment.

She closed the door to his apartment, the lock made a soft click as it returned to its home. She tip toed down the steps and pushed her way through the double doors in to the hallway. The lights were on. Why were the lights on? Ohhh... shit!

'Good morning Jane.' Maru was standing behind the reception desk and Jane's cover was blown. Jane felt mortified but tried her best to maintain her composure.

'Uhh... morning Maru. I just came by to talk to Dr Harvey, and I must be going now... I've got lots to do on the farm.' She flashed Maru the best smile she could muster up, hoping to Joba that Maru believed her lie.

Maru's bottom lip quivered when she said, 'I think this belongs to you,' and handed Jane her missing bra. Her eyes looked watery and she seemed on the verge of tears.

'That's not mine.' Jane said rather too quickly. Fuck it, I'll buy a new one! She felt quite hot under the florescent lights. She looked at the tears starting to trickle down Maru's cheeks and asked, 'Are you ok?'

Maru grabbed a Kleenex from a box behind the reception desk and wiped the tears from both eyes. 'It's allergies,' she said but Jane wasn't sure she believed her and felt awful. 'Is Dr Harvey still asleep?'

Jane didn't bother lying again. 'Yeah, he's in bed. I've really got to go. Please tell him I'll see him later.' Unable to make further eye contact with Maru, she scrunched her bra up in to a ball and walked out of the clinic doors.

Outside there were fallen tree leaves scattered on the ground and a few floating about in the air. The breeze felt good, and cooled her flushed face.

'Good morning Jane,' a man's voice called. Jane whipped her head round and saw Pierre wave at her. He was standing outside his store drinking a coffee. He had a glint in his eye, and Jane wondered whether he suspected anything. 'I've got a new stock of seeds, come in and take a look.'

She waved back , 'I can't right now but I will pop by at some point this week.' She turned around and sprinted home, really wanting a hot shower and some breakfast.

**Harvey**

When he woke up Jane was gone. He wondered if last night had been a dream, but then he saw the sand on the bed sheet and smiled. He walked to the bathroom completely naked, and turned on the shower. As he waited for the water to heat up he thought about Jane, about what he'd told her and how she'd called him a hero. He thought about how they'd made love on the beach, and he started to feel aroused remembering the feeling of her legs wrapped around his hips. He stepped in to the shower and let the warm water bathe him. The water flowed down his neck, back, and legs washing the sand from his body. He breathed in deeply letting the steam open up his sinuses and suddenly remembered how much of an idiot had been, he really should book an asthma review appointment. He made a mental note to call his doctor.

As Harvey was drying himself he glanced across at his alarm clock. Seeing the display showing 10:00 he had a horrible thought... what day was it? He looked at his mobile phone which said Thursday, and realised that Maru worked on Thursdays and her shift started at 9am! Shit! He got dressed as quickly as he could, rubbing the towel through his hair but not really drying it properly and grabbed a fresh white lab coat from his wardrobe and put it on over his shirt and chinos. He left his apartment and ran downstairs as quickly as he could.

Out of breath from rushing he leaned on the reception desk and said, 'I'm so sorry Maru! I overslept, and I'll make it up to you I promise.'

'Your first patient is here Dr Harvey, he's been waiting thirty minutes to see you.' She said and without a smile she passed him a clipboard with the patients name on it. Mayor Lewis... Oh fuck!

He noticed that Maru seemed rather glum, but he wouldn't embarrass her by asking her what was up in front of the Mayor who was sat in the waiting room. Harvey walked over to him, 'Lewis, do you want to come in to my office?' He walked ahead of the Mayor and sat down at his desk.

'Take a seat Lewis,' Harvey instructed and Mayor Lewis sat down in the only other chair in the room. Harvey held the clipboard and lifted the pages reviewing the last notes. Harvey liked to keep both hard and electronic copies of patient records. He usually had Maru update the computer system, but most of the time he had so much free time that he did it himself. 'How can I help you today?' he asked, speaking in his professional doctors voice.

The Mayor shifted in the chair, and fiddled with his moustache. He seemed uncomfortable, nervous perhaps. 'This isn't a medical visit Dr Harvey, I'm here on official business.'

'Oh!' Harvey put the clipboard down on his desk, and sighed. He removed his glasses from his face and rubbed his right eye with his balled up fist.

'Look, Harvey I didn't want to have this talk with you. You are a respected member of the community but the incident in the bar the other night is completely unacceptable.'

'You mean the thing with Alex?' Harvey frowned and put his glasses back on.

'Yes, the thing with Alex. I obviously wasn't there, but had I been I would have intervened. I don't know what he did to deserve two black eyes but I can't condone that type of behaviour.'

'Lewis...

'I've instructed Gus not to serve you alcohol for a period of six months.'

'Don't be ridiculous Lewis, you can't do that!'

'I did and I have Harvey, and I'm not arguing with you. I expect better from you.'

After the Mayor left, Harvey instructed Maru to cancel the rest of his appointments and sent her home early. She wasn't her usual chipper self, she seemed gloomy and barely managed to say goodbye when she left. Harvey wondered if all the studying she was doing was making her stressed. He remembered how stressed he got at points during his medical training, the long shifts, and sleepless nights.

He hung up his lab coat and put on his favourite green jacket and went for a walk. The dried orange and brown leaves crunched beneath his shoes as he stepped on them. He headed down to the beach and found a quiet spot on the boardwalk and sat down. He took off his shoes and socks and dangled his feet in to the water. He liked quiet moments, and often came to the beach and listened to the waves. He closed his eyes and breathed in the salty sea air, wiggling his toes in the cold sea.

Harvey stayed at the beach for about half an hour. He would have stayed longer but his peace was broken when Shane came running across the sand towards him.

'It's my Aunt Marnie, she hurt Doc.' Shane called to him, a sense of panic in his usually sombre voice.

Harvey pulled his socks over his wet feet, much to his displeasure, and quickly fastened his shoes. 'I'm coming, let me grab my medical bag from the clinic. Tell me what happened Shane.'

Shane matched Harvey's pace whilst he gave him the details. 'Aunt Marnie was milking the cows when one of them kicked her. That old man Lewis is with her, he told me to come find you.'

In the clinic Harvey unlocked the medicine cabinet and restocked his medical bag with items he thought might be useful. The thought of having to speak to the Mayor again bothered him, but he didn't have much choice.

Outside the clinic Shane was leaning against the wall smoking a cigarette. Harvey disapprovingly said, 'Have you any idea how bad for your health they are?'

'You keep telling me that Doc, and I keep smoking them. Doesn't seem like I care does it?' Shane took a long drag on his cigarette and blew out a huge plume of smoke.

Harvey coughed but didn't bother trying to argue with Shane, as he knew it was pointless. 'Come on, let's get going. Lead the way,' Harvey said trying not to inhale anymore smoke.

When they reached Marnie's ranch Harvey could hear her crying out in agony. Shane opened the front door and took Harvey through the house and in to the garden. Marnie was sat on the ground clutching her right arm with her left. Mayor Lewis was trying to soothe her by rubbing her back but it wasn't working because she snapped at him, 'Will you stop that Lewis! It's not helping!'

'I'm sorry Marnie my sweet, I was just trying to... oh Doc you're here.' He tipped his cap at Harvey, and then said, 'The doc is here Marnie.'

Despite feeling a little awkward after his visit from the Mayor earlier in the day, Harvey remained professional. He put on his happy face and said, 'I'm here Marnie, I'm going to help you. Can you tell me what happened?'

'I told you what happened Doc-' Shane answered.

'-Yes, you did Shane and I appreciate your help but I'd like hear it from Marnie. Would you mind making me a coffee? Black, with no sugar.' Shane reluctantly left to make Harvey a coffee. He didn't really want a coffee, he just wanted some space.

He knelt down beside Marnie and opened his bag. He removed a small flash light and used it to test her pupils. He asked, 'So what happened?' In turn he gently held her eyelids up and shined the light in to her eyes to check her pupillary light reflex. Satisfied with his observations he returned the flash light to his bag.

'I was collecting milk from one of my cows, when something in the bushes must have spooked her.' Harvey instinctively looked over towards the bushes feeling slightly worried. 'She kicked me and bolted for the cowshed. It knocked the wind out of me and I've got this awful pain in my shoulder.'

Harvey asked, 'Is it okay if I take a look at your shoulder?' Marnie nodded. He moved his hand across her shoulder confirming by touch what he could see with his eyes. 'You have a posterior dislocation of the shoulder. I will give you a mild sedative to help you relax before I realign the bones.' He took a syringe and a small vial of sedative, held it upside down and drew the liquid down from below.

'Hey Doc, I've got your coffeeee...' Shane dropped to the ground and the coffee cup cracked in to pieces as it landed on the hard dirt, spilling it's contents.

Still holding the syringe in his hand Harvey stared across at Shane in confusion and then it dawned on him. He looked back at the sharp needle at the end of the syringe and rolled his eyes. He injected Marnie with the liquid, and then still on his knees he moved over to Shane. He picked up Shane's hand and tapped it, then tapped his cheek when he didn't respond. His eyes opened and he seemed confused. 'It's ok kiddo, you just fainted. Can you sit up for me? That's it slowly, now just stay there for a while until your blood pressure normalises. Lewis make yourself useful and get him a glass of water.'

'Oh uh, yes of course! I'll get you some water.' The Mayor said then hurried off in doors.

When the Mayor was out of earshot Harvey asked, 'exactly why is he here?'

'Don't you know Doc? He comes for Aunt Marnie's apple pie.' Shane snorted with laughter.

Harvey laughed and Marnie scolded them both, ' I'll have less of that you two! Oh owww this hurts!'

'Uh, Doc don't tell anyone I fainted. I can't have anyone thinking I'm a wimp!' Shane moaned and rubbed his side.

Harvey chuckled. 'You aren't the first to faint at the sight of a needle, and you won't be the last.' He returned to Marnie and placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on her arm. 'I'm sorry Marnie, this may hurt... quite a bit.' He slowly rotated her shoulder back in to the socket. There was a loud pop followed by an equally loud groan of pain from Marnie.

'Thank you Doc,' she said exhausted. She looked across at Shane, 'Are you ok sweetheart?'

'Of course I am!' He frowned, clearly not happy being called 'sweetheart.' Harvey and Marnie laughed but Shane sulked.

Mayor Lewis returned with Shane's glass of water. 'I heard you scream Marnie, are you ok?'He handed the glass to Shane sloshing it down his top much to Shane's annoyance. Marnie didn't answer him, she gritted her teeth in pain.

Harvey put Marnie's arm in a sling and gave her some pain medication to take over the next week. 'Come see me at the clinic in a week. Take the pain meds, and rest your shoulder. That means no heavy lifted and especially no milking cows.' Marnie sighed and told Shane he'd have to help her around the ranch. He didn't seemed overjoyed.

Just as Harvey was about to leave Mayor Lewis took his hand and shook it. Harvey was surprised. 'Thank you Dr Harvey, great work!'

Harvey smiled, 'Take care, and I'll see you in a week Marnie. Bye bye.' He left the ranch headed towards Jane's farm. He wondered if she would be home, and wished he'd picked up some flowers for her. He saw some wild yellow flowers growing along the fence and grabbed a handful.

**Jane**

She saw Harvey making his way through the long grass at the southern part of her farm. She'd not got around to clearing that section and felt awful seeing him curse at getting his clothes snagged on some brambles. Despite initially looking frustrated he was all smiles when he reached her house.

He held out a handful of droopy yellow flowers and said, 'I picked these along the way, I hope you like them.'

She took them from him. 'Oh, how lovely,' she smiled, and thought just what I need, more weeds. She laughed and watched his face turned a bright shade of pink. He'd picked dandelions.

'They're weeds aren't they?' he asked slapping a hand to his forehead. She started laughing and he joined her.

'Come in doors you silly romantic,' she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, 'I'll find a vase for these... beautiful weeds, and then I'll make you a coffee.'


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8** ****  
****

**Jane**

Jane threw the droopy dandelions in the trash and poured the water from the vase down the sink. She had given them the night to regain their strength and stand themselves up but they were too weak from being manhandled so she threw them out. She smiled amused that her first bunch of flowers from Harvey had been weeds, similar to the ones she removed from her farm on a daily basis.

She pulled her gardening boots on and went to check on her seedlings in the greenhouse. The moment she stepped through the sliding glass door the humidity hit her. The warm air was welcoming and such a difference to the blustery weather outside. She checked on her cranberry seedlings which were growing well inside the greenhouse. Her pumpkin plants were doing well. She looked forward to harvesting them and turning them in to pumpkin soup, but that wouldn't be for a while yet – they were still tiny. She reached up to her apple tree and picked a few apples then placed them in her wicker basket, carefully so as not to bruise them. She noticed that her orange tree was full of delicious oranges so she picked a few of those as well.

As she returned to her farmhouse with her basket she noticed a large fluffy brown carpet on front steps. She stopped still and looked around the farm wondering who had put it there and worried they might still be hanging about. She set the basket down on the ground by her feet and called out, 'Hello?'

The carpet moved, and lifted up its head. Jane backed away and accidentally knocked the basket with her boot. Some of the apples fell out and rolled away. Two big blue eyes stared back at her, and then a long pink tongue rolled out of the carpets mouth as it yawned exposing a mouthful of sharp teeth. The loud yowl noise that followed was enough to make her run and she did but she wasn't fast enough and the carpet lunged at her and sent her crashing to the ground. 'Ow!' she exclaimed. The carpet excitedly licked her face with its coarse tongue. 'Get off me!'

Underneath all that fluff was a dog, and a very smelly one at that. Jane held her breath, the smell was awful. There must have been months of filth embedded in the animal's fur. She managed to shove the dog off her and stood up brushing her dungarees down. 'Go on now! Go home!' She picked up her basket, abandoned the escapee apples and dashed in to the house. She heard a thud against the door as the dog had tried to follow her in.

Jane wasn't a dog person, she preferred cats but she didn't have the time to care for an animal so she chose not to have a pet. The dog scratched at the door. 'Go away, I have no food for you!' She washed her hands in the kitchen sink and splashed some water on her face to get the slobber off. After drying her hands she went over to her store cupboard and selected some vegetables to add to the basket of apples and oranges. She added four ears of corn, plenty of tomatoes, and a handful of radishes. She listened at the door for the dog, and satisfied it had gone she headed out with her basket of produce hooked in the crook of her elbow and carried it in to town.

She had almost made it when she heard a 'woof woof' and turned around to see the giant dog in the distance bounding towards her. Its ears flapped and its tongue flicked drool in every direction. It caught up to her and stood up on its hind legs and planted its front paws on her chest. 'Yoba you are a big dog! And you stink so bad! You can't come with me, I'm on important business and you need to go home.' Jane turned back towards the town and carried on walking, the dog followed at her side wagging its tail excitedly. When she realised the dog wasn't going to stop following her, she gave up trying to shoo it away.

As she arrived at the clinic she was about to push the door open when instead it opened inwards and Demetrius stepped out on the street. He had a Kleenex to his face and looked full of cold. 'Woah!' he exclaimed as the dog squeezed past him and entered the clinic almost taking his feet out from underneath him. His nose was red and his lips look chapped from having to constantly wipe his runny nose. 'Was that your dog?' he asked blowing his nose.

'No, I don't have a dog. You look terrible Demetrius! Get yourself home and tucked up in bed.'

'I think I might just do that. Maybe Robin will make me some nice hot soup.' He chuckled and headed up the steps towards the grassy park area.

Jane pushed the door open and entered the clinic. The dog had practically destroyed the waiting room, and was running amok. Torn magazines were scattered across the floor, a plant had been knocked over. The pot had smashed and soil was on the tiles. Harvey had managed to grab the dog by the scruff of its neck and was dry heaving. Jane couldn't help but laugh, the dog smelt revolting. When he spotted Jane he said, 'Open the door!' She held it open, allowing Harvey to drag the dog outside. He quickly closed the door behind him. 'Oh that dog smelt awful! Where did it come from?' he asked looking queasy.

'I found it outside my house on the farm.'

'So you decided to bring it here, to my sterile clinic?' he asked frowning. Jane followed him up to his apartment where he scrubbed his hands with antibacterial hand wash.

'No Harvey, that walking carpet followed me.' When she saw him reaching for the hand wash again she said, 'you're hands are clean Harvey. Look how red your skin is from the hot water.'

Harvey looked at hot steam coming off his red hands, and then saw she was carrying a basket. 'You can't be too careful when handling stray animals... or people for that matter.' He laughed nervously and then nodded towards the basket, 'What have you got there?' He grabbed a towel and patted his hands dry.

'Oh yeah, I brought this for you from the farm. I thought you could use some expertly grown fruit and vegetables.' She smiled and carried the basket in to his kitchen where she lifted it up on to the work surface. 'These apples are really sweet, and the oranges are so juicy. I got you some tomatoes and radishes that you can either use to make a pasta sauce or have them in a salad.' She found a bowl for the fruit and placed the vegetables on a shelf in the refrigerator.

'Wow, that's really generous of you. Thank you.' He looked slightly amused, perhaps wondering how on earth you make pasta sauce. He gave Jane a hug and then said, 'I feel awful for saying this, because I could stay here all day with you, but I need to clean up the mess in the waiting room. I've got patients to see this afternoon, and I don't think I can handle anymore visits from Mayor Lewis. He's already marked me down as drunk and disorderly. I don't want him accusing me of running an unclean surgery.'

Jane laughed at his last comment. 'No worries, I just wanted to drop that food off as I had a free moment.' They walked down to the clinic and Jane glanced over at the reception desk. She noticed the chair behind the desk was empty 'No Maru today?' she asked him.

He shook his head. 'She didn't turn up for work this morning and I tried calling her but her cell phone was switched off. It's unusual for her to not come in, she's so punctual and I can't recall her ever missing a day's work.' He removed his glasses and cleaned them with the corner of his white doctor's coat. 'Her father was here for an appointment this morning. He said Maru was in bed when I enquired after her. I guess she's got a cold like Demetrious has.'

Jane put her hand on the door handle and bit her lip. Did Harvey really not see what was going on? . She asked, 'Will I see you later?'

Harvey beamed. 'Sure, what did you have in mind?' He leaned down and kissed her neck. Jane giggled because it tickled. She loved having her neck kissed.

'I was thinking dinner at my place, and maybe a bottle of wine or two.'

'That sounds lovely, I'll look forward to it.' He stopped kissing her neck and kissed her on the mouth. When he broke for air, he said 'what about I close up early and we take this back upstairs?'

'Later Harvey, I've got errands to run and so much still to do on the farm.' She smiled, thinking she'd love nothing more than to spend the rest of the day in bed with him.

'Okay okay,' he said and kissed her once more. He pretended to look sad and disappointed when she left which made her laugh.

Outside the dog was sitting there patiently waiting for her. She rolled her eyes and continued with her errands with the dog in tow. It followed her to Pierre's store where she purchased some ingredients she needed to make dinner later. It also followed her to Cindersap Forest and dashed about chasing rabbits whilst she foraged for wild mushrooms for dinner and some blackberries for dessert.

When she returned to her farmhouse she didn't bother shooing the dog away, but she was adamant that the dog would not enter her house. She put her shopping away, and grabbed an old bowl from under the cupboard. She'd bought a bag of dog food as she felt sorry for the smelly beast that had followed at her heels all morning. She tore open the bag, filled the bowl and took it outside.

The dog was so excited by the smell of the biscuits that it almost knocked her over trying to get at the bowl. 'Woah, calm down! Here it is. You must have been starving.' Jane put the bowl down on the decking and the dog dived right in, eating messily but making sure to gobble up any biscuits it knocked out of the bowl. Jane sighed, 'I guess I should choose a name for you.' The dog licked at her boots, and Jane laughed as she patted its huge shaggy head.

**Harvey**

Shane was sitting slumped over near the edge of the water by Leah's house, exactly where Leah said she'd found him. As Harvey made his way over to Shane he noticed the large volume of discarded crumpled beer cans and an empty grease stained pizza box lying open on the ground. He cleared some of the litter with his foot and knelt down beside Shane.

Harvey put his hand on Shane's shoulder and said, 'It's Dr Harvey, can you look at me?' It was more an instruction than a request. Shane turned his head and looked up. Harvey could smell the alcohol on Shane's breath. 'I think we'd better get you home. You're Aunt Marnie will be worried.'

Shane belched and shrugged his shoulders. 'She won't be worried. Leave me alone, I don't want your help.' Shane slurred and opened another beer can.

Harvey sighed, and looked up at Leah who had been standing behind them. Leah had woken him up at 10pm, banging on the clinic door. She told him she had heard someone outside her house and when she'd seen the state Shane was in she thought he might need medical assistance. It had taken Harvey less than five minutes to wake up, pull his white doctors coat over his pyjamas, and grab his bag.

Looking up at Leah, he could tell she was just as tired as he felt. 'Thanks for your help, I think I can handle this from here. You should head on home; you look like you could do with some sleep.' He smiled at her.

Leah smiled back, and said, 'Thanks Doctor Harvey. If you need anything, don't hesitate to knock on my door.'

Harvey watched as she went inside her house and closed the door. He heard the lock click, and the deadbolt slide across. He looked back at Shane and said, 'Come on Shane, let's get you to your feet.' He stood up, trying to pull Shane to his feet and stumbled. Shane twisted round; his arms flailed and caught Harvey across the face with a slap. His spectacles were knocked from his face, and there was a 'plonk' sound as they disappeared in to the river. 'Nooo!' Harvey exclaimed, 'Shane! Why do you have to get in to this state all the time? Why?' Harvey couldn't help his grumpiness, feeling frustrated at losing his glasses.

'What do you care? It's my life!' Shane responded equally as grumpy. He saw Shane's blurry shape stand up and stumble away from him. Harvey's eyesight was awful without his glasses on, which was another reason why his dream of becoming a pilot never happened. Even if he'd not had a fear of heights having to wear eyeglasses ruled him out. The darkness made his vision worse. Leah's house was just a dark shape, and the trees were a fuzz of green and brown. Harvey reached out and grabbed Shane's arm. 'Fuck off!'

Harvey gritted his teeth, 'Take us home Shane! It's too late for this, and we both need our sleep.'

Shane belched again, and then stumbled drunkenly towards home with Harvey clinging on to his sleeve. Shane hammered on the front door and when his Aunt saw him she gave him an earful. 'Shane! What are you doing wasting the poor Doc's time? Get in the house and get straight to bed! ' Shane squeezed past her and mumbled something inaudible. 'I'm so sorry Doc, can I make you a coffee?'

Harvey shook his head, 'Thanks, but I'm going to head home. I need my bed. He could make out her large frame, and red hair but couldn't see her features clearly.

'Who's at the door Marn?' A man's voice called to her from inside the house.

Marnie didn't answer the man, and instead she said good night to Harvey and closed the door. The light from Marnie's house disappeared as the door slammed in to his frame.

Harvey pulled his coat around his body and made his way home. Leaves crunched beneath his shoes and an owl hooted nearby. The wind blew the tree branches sending leaves through the air. He rubbed his eyes feeling the tiredness return, and yawned. He stopped still when he heard a loud crack. He froze, hoping it was just a tree branch swaying in the wind. He waited for a moment and when no further sound came he decided to carry on, so he walked on until he came across a fence. He traced the dry wood with his fingers, remembering the fence that ran along Marnie's ranch and felt relieved to be walking in the right direction.

At that moment Harvey remember he was meant to be having dinner with Jane. He had completely forgotten! He had been so busy after Jane left the clinic in the morning. He had an urgent visit at Evelyn and George's home. They were an elderly couple who lived not far from the clinic. George being in a wheelchair was unable to help his wife, so had telephoned the clinic. Harvey had responded immediately. Evelyn had been preparing lunch for herself and her husband when the saucepan had slipped from the cooker stove spilling the hot contents down both legs. Harvey treated her burns but insisted on going with her in the ambulance to the hospital. He'd been there most of the day. He'd meant to leave sooner, but he got chatting with some of his old friends from medical school. By the time he returned home it was late and he could think of nothing more than going to bed. He felt awful, and was sure Jane would be absolutely livid with him. He would go to her farm in the morning and plead for her forgiveness, or perhaps he would wait for the angry redhead to come to him. He wasn't sure which frightened him more.

He laughed nervously, thinking about what he was going to say to her the next day. There was another crack, followed by a strange sound. Harvey's nerves got the better of him and he started running, not wanting to find out whatever was out there stalking him. He ran parallel with the fence, his heart pounding in his chest. Without realising what was in front of him, he ran straight in to a tree and was knocked backwards on to the ground. He lay on the floor for a few seconds feeling disorientated. The wind was knocked out of him. It was so dark and he couldn't tell which way he'd come from. He stood up and brushed himself down. Upon hearing the strange noise again he started running again but was met with another tree. He tried another direction but there was another tree. He turned back but there more trees. Panic started to set in. Where am I?

**Jane**

The dog was barking frantically outside her house. Jane thought it had wandered off in to Cindersap forest, but it must have found its way back to her farm. It was barking loudly.

Jane opened her front door to tell the dog to keep quiet when she noticed it wasn't barking to be let in, it was barking to warn someone or something to back off.

Cautiously she stepped out on to her porch, but not before grabbing her wood cutting axe that she kept by the front door. 'Who's out there?' she called out to the darkness. She could see the tree branches bending in the wind. The dog bolted for the tree line. 'No, wait!' Without thinking she followed the dog towards the trees. She shone her torch across the tree trunks searching for signs of life, and hoping not to find anything lurking in the section of land she hadn't yet cleared. An owl hooted and flew out from the tree above her which made her jump. She was used to hearing noises in the night, but being out alone still made her a bit nervous. The trees creaked and swayed, and the wildlife chattered about. The dogs barking, however, had made her jumpy. 'Slow down,' she called to the dog but it didn't respond. The barking changed to a low guttural growl. The smelly dog had found something.

Jane felt out of breath by the time she found the dog. 'What is it?' she said to the dog, contemplating grabbing its scruffy fur but changed her mind when she remembered how filthy it was. The dog barked, and then growled. Jane moved the torch across the trees in front of her and saw something white. 'Hello? Is someone there?' She lifted up her axe as she slowly approached the figure behind the tree.

'Ahhh! Help!'

Jane stopped, lowering the axe. 'Harvey?' she blinked clearing her vision thinking she was seeing things. He was definitely there. He was stood still, hands holding his white coat together. He was also shaking with fear. 'Harvey are you ok? Come here.' She pulled him in to a tight hug. 'What are you doing out here?'She could feel his body trembling against her own.

He rested his head on her shoulder, gripping her tightly with his hands. 'To cut a long story short, I lost my glasses and couldn't find my way home. Then I heard something in the forest and ran, and I couldn't find my way back home.'

'Come, let's get you in doors. You can warm yourself by the fire.' Jane led Harvey back to her farmhouse. The dog followed. 'Not you, you stay outside.' The dog whined in protest as she shut the door.

Jane noticed Harvey was wearing pyjamas beneath his white doctor's coat, and wondered whether he'd been sleep walking and that was the real reason he was out wandering so late at night. She sat him down in the armchair near the fire and put the kettle on. 'You know when I said come for dinner; I meant 6 or 7pm, not almost midnight.' When the water had boiled she made hot chocolate and handed him a cup. 'Here, drink this. It'll warm you up.'

She had baked a lasagne and used her grandmother's sauce recipe, which was one her favourites. After spending two hours glancing at the clock, and popping her head out of the front door she had resigned to the fact that Harvey wasn't coming. She felt disappointed, but scooped herself a large portion of lasagne on to a plate and ate it in front of the television. She watched a few of her favourite romance movies and had begun drifting off in the armchair. It was then that she'd heard the dog barking at something on the farm.

'Thank you Jane,' he smiled but still looked a little shaken. 'Yeah, about that... I'm terribly sorry I got caught up at work and I forgot about dinner. I understand if you are m...m... mad at me and never want to see me again,' he stuttered nervously and because he was so cold.

Jane chewed on her lip. 'Harvey it's okay. I was upset. I made us a delicious dinner, and was looking forward to that glass of wine. But I figured you'd be on some urgent doctor business.'

'I'm sorry Jane, I'll make it up to you I promise.' He looked different without his glasses on, sort of glossy eyed.

She smiled and said, 'I'll hold you to that. Anyway, what were you doing out so late wandering about in your pyjamas?'

'There was an incident with Shane and as the only doctor in town I'm always on call.' He took a sip of his drink. 'I suppose that's why Lewis doesn't want me drinking. You never know when someone might need a doctor.'

Jane dragged a dining chair over and sat down. She looked in to the fire, watching the orange flames dance about. 'Oh Harvey, stop moping... of course you can have a drink. Anyway, what happened? Is Shane alright?'

Harvey frowned at her clearly annoyed that she'd reprimanded him. 'Shane was drunk and I helped him home, but not without a bit of a difficulty. That's when I lost my glasses. I'm practically blind without them. I honestly don't know how I'm going to make my way home. I have a spare pair in my apartment.'

Jane ran her fingers through his hair, brushing it out of his eyes. 'You can stay here tonight.' She watched as Harvey closed his eyes enjoying the feel of her touch. 'Unless you want me to walk you home?'

He set his cup down on the floor next to the armchair. Taking her hand in his he pulled her towards the bedroom. His smile returned. 'I don't want to go home.' He kissed her softly on the lips and she began unbuttoning his pyjama shirt.

'Then stay the night,' Jane smiled as she slipped her hand down the front of his pyjama bottoms. There was a hunger in Harvey's eyes, and Jane took satisfaction in the fact that that hunger was for her and no one else.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Harvey**

He woke up in Jane's bed with her body sprawled across him. Her head was on his shoulder. He was both amused and disgusted that there was cold blob of drool on his chest. He knew she would be mortified when she woke up, and that made him chuckle.

The bed sheet was wrinkled from their night of activity, and the blanket only partly covered them. Harvey felt slightly chesty and reached across to his bedside cabinet for his inhaler but remembered he wasn't in his apartment. Jane's body weight pinned him to the bed, and as he tried to gently free himself without disturbing her she woke up with a jolt. A long string of saliva connected her mouth to his chest. Harvey guffawed.

'What's going on?' Jane sat upright, her eyes were half closed, and her hair messy from sleep.

'You've ... erm... got something on your face.' Harvey pointed and laughed some more.

'Oh shit,' she exclaimed as she grabbed one corner of the blanket and wiped her mouth, and then his chest when she'd spotted the glistening blob of dribble. 'Found that funny did you specky-four-eyes? I'm surprised you could even see that without your glasses on!' She looked half amused, but then pulled a grumpy face.

'I thought farmers were morning people; I guess you must be the exception. And by the way, I'm not blind, I can see... just not very well in the dark.'

'Then perhaps you should eat more carrots! I'd grow you some but I don't think Pierre sells the seeds at his store.' Jane laughed and then hit him in the head with a pillow.

'Hey! That's assault, I'm calling the Mayor!' he laughed and rolled over. He tickled her, until she squealed and begged him to stop.

He planted a kiss on her lips and she smiled up at him. 'Go and put your stethoscope on.'

'Excuse me?' Harvey swallowed nervously.

'Go on, please it'll be fun.' She giggled.

'Fun for who? You want me to pretend I'm at work?' He asked feeling perplexed. When he saw her smile change to a sulk he said, 'I can't believe I'm actually going to do this.' He shook his head and let out a laugh. He got off the bed, and rummaged through his bag. He found his inhaler and took two deep puffs, and let the medicine fill his lungs.

'Do you usually get this nervous around your patients?' Jane asked with a big grin on her face. She really did enjoy teasing him, and the truth was he kind of enjoyed it.

'No, only the mischievous ones,' he rolled his eyes and hung his stethoscope around his neck. Jane motioned for him to come to her, and he did. He climbed back on to the bed and made his way over to her on his hands and knees. He leaned down and kissed her lips, and then moved to her neck. From her neck he kissed his way down to her breasts, where he took one of her nipples in to his mouth and flicked his tongue across it. He looked up to see Jane biting her lip, and moved back up the bed towards her. He kissed her again, and gasped when he felt her fingers reaching for his penis. She moved her hand up and down, stroking him gently. He could feel her breath against his cheek and he nodded when she asked him to roll on to his back. Jane straddled him, taking all of him inside her.

Jane leaned in for a deep kiss. He ran his hands down her thighs feeling her smooth skin, and brushed his fingers across her short pubic hair. He stared in to her eyes as she started to move her hips, feeling like he was the luckiest man on the planet to be able to share the moment with her. She brushed his hair out of his eyes and smiled down at him, whilst she bounced in his lap. He held on to her backside and pulled her in closer not wanting the moment to end, but it did when he felt her vaginal muscles clench around him. She beat him to the climax, but her orgasm tipped him over the edge. His body shuddered and he erupted in to her.

Harvey reached for his inhaler again. Jane kissed his chest and ran a fingernail across his nipple which made him gasp. 'Wow, who knew the geeky doctor had all that energy in him! Time for a shower, and then I'll make you some breakfast.' Jane smiled as she got up and walked in to the bathroom. Harvey could see his seed trickling down her leg, glinting in the light. He smiled feeling happy.

After their steamy shower Jane made him a cooked breakfast. Harvey wolfed the eggs down because he was ravenous. Whilst he chewed on a piece of buttery toast he listened to Jane telling him about a trip she planned to make to the city. 'I'll be gone most of the day, but I thought I could meet you for drinks at the saloon later this evening.'

Harvey swallowed the toast he was chewing and took a drink from his coffee cup when it got lodged in his throat. He coughed which cleared it. 'Yes, that sounds good – it's a date.'

Jane took their plates and added them to the pile of dishes in the sink. 'Come on, I'd better walk you home.'

Jane grabbed her jacket from the back of the front door and put it on. Harvey collected up his things and they took the shortest route to town, past the bus stop. As they walked next to one another their fingers touched and Harvey entwined his long fingers in hers. Harvey lifted her hand to his lips and planted a kiss on it. He stopped momentarily and kissed her on the mouth, but then pulled away and they continued down the path.

When they reached the clinic and he dropped her hand.'I guess this is me,' he said smiling down at her. He noticed her expression had change, she looked sad.

Pelican town was buzzing with people. There were shoppers coming and going from Pierre's store. Two children were running along giggling, followed by an attractive slim woman who was calling for them to slow down. Kent, the ex-soldier, was walking along with a newspaper tucked under his arm. One of the children, Vincent his son, ran over to him and asked for some money to buy candy. Jane brought Harvey's attention back to her when she spoke. 'Well, I'll see you later then.' She smiled at him, waiting for him to respond. Harvey glanced about nervously, and wondered if anyone had noticed the doctor was out and about wearing his pyjamas.

'Thank you for erm... for walking me home. I'll uhh... see you later then.' He pushed open the door to the clinic and went in doors. Jane stood there for a moment staring at the sign on the door that read, 'OPEN', perhaps in disbelief that he'd dashed in doors without a kiss goodbye.

Harvey closed the door and rested his back against the glass. You should have kissed her! What's wrong with you? He had seen the townsfolk and lost his nerve. He felt their eyes on him, waiting for him to give them something to gossip about. He pushed himself off the door and headed up to his apartment. He stopped when he saw Maru sitting behind the reception desk.

'Oh, Maru! I wasn't expecting to see you this morning. How are you feeling?' he asked her.

She smiled and said, 'I'm feeling fine.' She looked him up and down and asked, 'What's with the Pyjamas Doc?'

He suddenly felt self conscious, 'Oh uh, I'd better get changed.' He dashed up the stairs to his apartment without offering Maru an explanation. He grabbed his spare glasses from his bedside cabinet and popped them on, relieved to see clearly again. He pulled on a pair of clean chinos and a fresh shirt, put on his white doctor's coat and went down to his office to check his scheduled appointments. He had three people to see, Clint the blacksmith, Abigail, and Mayor Lewis. He gritted his teeth when he read the last name. He wasn't in the mood for seeing Lewis, especially since their last meeting led to the Mayor imposing a drinking ban on him.

Maru popped her head around the door. 'You're first appointment is here Dr Harvey.' Harvey thanked her and asked her to send them in.

The door opened and Clint hobbled over and took a seat in the only other chair in the room.

'Good morning Clint,' Harvey smiled pleasantly, 'how can I help you today? I see you have a bit of a limp. What have you done?'

Clint groaned as he took his shoe off, and then hissed through his teeth as he pulled his sock which was stuck to his skin. He managed to pull it away and beneath it Harvey could see a shallow wound. 'I dropped a hammer on my foot, and as you can see it's gone bad.'

Harvey pulled a face, 'Oooh, that does look sore.' He manipulated the bones, 'It's not broken. I'll give you some antibiotics for it. Keep the wound clean and try to air it as much as possible.' He selected a box of pills and handed them to the blacksmith. 'Ensure you complete the full course and come back and see me in a week if it's not healed.'

Harvey helped Clint to put his sock and then shoe back on. Clint was grateful and thanked Harvey as he limped back out of his office. He updated his notes, and then heard the door open. He looked up to see Maru enter with a cup of steaming coffee. The aroma filled his nostrils and he breathed it in.

'I thought you'd be thirsty so I made you a coffee.' Maru walked over and sat on the edge of Harvey's desk. She pushed the cup in to his hands and smiled at him sweetly. He took a sip and felt the hot liquid warm his body as it washed down his throat.

'That's really kind of you Maru, it's delicious.' He took another sip and found himself staring at her legs. He noticed her uniform dress seemed shorter than usual, as if she had taken the hem up two or three inches. He could see her thighs. Distracted he tipped his cup and split coffee down himself. Maru tore a wad of hand towel from the roll on the wall and started to dab at his chest where the coffee had sloshed down his shirt. Harvey grabbed the towel from her hands. 'Thanks Maru, I've got it. Can you send my next patient in please?'

As Abigail walked in to his office, her purple hair swished behind her. She chewed on a piece of gum and the bubble she'd blown popped across her lips. She didn't seem embarrassed and used her tongue to pull the web of gum back in to her mouth. She chewed whilst she talked and Harvey could see the blob of pink gum rolling around in her mouth. Lovely, he thought.

She sat down and looked at Harvey nervously, and made a weird face as if contemplating how to word what she wanted to say. Harvey rolled his eyes and asked, 'Do you need condoms?'

Abigail looked embarrassed and Harvey noticed she had started tapping her foot nervously. I actually need a pre... pregnancy test.'

Harvey nodded and grabbed a sample pot from a box on his shelf. 'I need you to pee in this. You can use the ladies toilet.'

'No no no... I bought a sample. Can you use this?' Abigail lifted a huge pickle jar out of her bag and Harvey let out a laugh.

'That's a lot of urine.' He took the jar from her and placed it on his desk. He got a pregnancy test from another box and tested her urine. Abigail watched him intensely. He looked at the reading, comparing it to the picture on the back of the packet. 'It's negative.'

Abigail let out a huge sigh. 'Yes! I have been worrying for days. I kept thinking my mom was gonna kill me if she found out I was pregnant.' She grabbed her bag and got up to leave. 'Thank you so much Doc!'

Harvey smiled and offered her the condoms again. 'See Maru in reception. Ask her for some condoms.'

As she was leaving she stopped at the door with her hand on the wood. 'I'd appreciate it if this could stay between the two of us. I don't want my mom to find out.' She blew another chewing gum bubble and again it popped across her lips.

'What we discuss here in my office is strictly confidential,' he said as he cleared away the pregnancy test and wiped his desk down.

'Thanks Doc. You know, you are a pretty nice guy.' She thought for a moment, licking the gum off her lips. 'But what you did to Alex... Not cool man! Not cool at all.' She left, and Harvey dropped the jar of urine in to the trash and washed his hands.

Maru popped her head around the door again, informing Harvey that his last appointment had arrived. Harvey sighed heavily not looking forward to seeing the Mayor but said, 'Please send him in.'

The Mayor limped over to the vacant chair and sat down. Two patients with a limp, it must be contagious he thought. 'What have you done Lewis? Dropped a hammer on your foot?' He asked amused at his own joke.

The older man frowned and said, 'No, I woke up in the middle of the night with a horrendous pain in my toe. You do not understand the agony I have endured.'

'Let me take a look. Can you please remove your shoe?' Harvey removed his glasses, gave them a wipe, and then popped them back on his face.

Mayor Lewis puffed and panted as he bent down to undo his shoe laces. He slipped his foot out and groaned when he pulled his sock off. Harvey asked him to raise his foot, and as he did he leaned in for a closer look. He noted the swelling around the large toe and the redness of the skin.

Harvey sat back in his chair. 'It's Gout. I'll give you some anti-inflammatory medicine for it. If it doesn't clear up in three days, make another appointment with Maru.' Harvey unlocked his medicine cabinet and gave the Mayor a pack of pills. 'Follow the instructions on the back of the packet.'

'As he put his sock and shoe back on the Mayor thanked Harvey for his time. 'I'll speak to Gus,' he paused and Harvey waited for him to say the rest, 'Perhaps I was a bit too quick to pass judgement. The outstanding medical work you've done recently... helping Marnie and then Shane has more than demonstrated that you are a good man. I'm lifting your alcohol ban. Just go easy, we don't want any repeat incidents.'

Harvey nodded, 'It's my job Lewis, and it's what I'm good at.' He thought for a second, and then decided the correct answer was, 'Thank you.'

The Mayor smiled, and then stood up and held his hand out to Harvey. Harvey shook it and then the Mayor left. Harvey leaned back in his chair glad that that was his last appointment.

He opened his desk drawer and found a bag of mixed candy. Thinking Maru might like one he took the bag to the reception desk. He held the open bag out to her. 'See anything you fancy?' he smiled and tossed a jelly baby in to his mouth.

Maru's face lit up. 'Yes, I do.' She pulled a lolly pop out of the bag, removed the wrapper and popped it in to her mouth. 'Have you got any plans for this evening Dr Harvey?' she asked.

'Actually yes, I'm heading over to the saloon after I've had a quick shower.'

'Oh really? I might see you there!' she squealed sucking on her lolly. Harvey chuckled and ate another jelly baby.

After his shower, he pulled on his jeans and one of the many aeroplane related t-shirts he owned and headed over to the saloon. He must have been early because there was no sign of Jane. He ordered a beer, hassle free, from Gus and sat on a barstool waiting for Jane.

The jukebox kicked in to life and rock music played loudly out of the speakers. From the games room Harvey could hear billiard balls being clacked against one another as a group of teenagers played a game of pool. Harvey took a long pull on his beer and felt someone tap him on his shoulder. He smiled thinking it was Jane and spun round on the stool to see Maru smiling back at him.

'Hello,' she jumped up on to the stool next to him and waved to the barman. Gus came over and took her order for a glass of rose wine. Harvey kept his eye on the door in anticipation of Jane's arrival. 'Are you gonna get something to eat? I'm hungry, I might order a cheeseburger.'

Harvey shook his head, 'No, umm... I don't know,' he said not really listening. He stood up when he saw Jane enter the bar. He waved to get her attention. 'Over here.' Jane spotted him, and made her way over to him. She was wearing her usual farm attire, her dungarees and work boots. She looked so cute with her hair tied in to pigtails.

'Hello Dr Harvey,' she giggled. 'How has your day been?'

Harvey grinned. 'I had quite an early start to the day, but ate a wholesome breakfast, and then I was rather busy with appointments at the clinic. How was your day, and can I get you a beer?' he chuckled.

'I could kill for a beer, I'm so thirsty. I've come straight from working on the farm; I'd have changed but I didn't want to keep you waiting. I'm trying to harvest the last of my crops before winter. Oh you are drinking beer? I deduce that either you have become rebellious or the Mayor has seen sense and given you a full pardon.'

'The latter,' Harvey answered and then turned to Gus as he walked by, 'Could I have two beers please.'

'Certainly,' he said and handed two cold ones to Harvey. Harvey slid his empty bottle across the bar, and Gus tossed it in to the glass recycling box. The bottle clattered against the other empties.

Harvey passed Jane her drink and suggested they find a table. Maru piped up and said, 'That's a great idea, then we can order something to eat.'

Harvey smiled awkwardly, and Jane gave him daggers.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**Maru**

Harvey passed Jane her drink and suggested they find a table. Maru's ears pricked up and she said, 'That's a great idea, then we can order something to eat.'

Jane pointed out a table, one at the back in the dark. Maru wondered why Jane would pick such a gloomy corner to sit in. Surely the one near the bar was a better choice, and Maru did suggest it but Jane was quick to dismiss her input.

Harvey sat on the long bench seat and when he smiled up at her she took that as signal for her to sit next to him, so she slid on to the cushion next to him. Maru noticed he sat with his legs wide, and one of his knees brushed against her leg. She assumed that was intentional and felt warmed by his touch. Jane sat opposite them and stared at Harvey. She seemed rather moody, but Maru had seen her like that on more than one occasion so assumed that was just how her face looked when it was at rest.

Maru picked up the menu, unfolded it and leaned in closer to Harvey so that they could look at it together. 'Oooh, I might have some pasta. What about you Harv, what do you fancy?'

Maru looked up and noticed Jane's eyes watching her over the top of the menu. She lowered it slightly and asked, 'Oh, haven't you got a menu Jane?'

Jane's hand reached over and snatched the menu out of Maru's hands and said, 'It's ok, we can share.' Harvey looked up at Jane and suggested the cooked breakfast to Jane.

'Oh yeah, that's one of your favourites isn't it Harv. It is important to have a good breakfast, and those eggs are full of protein,' Maru's smile went wide when he looked at her with a grin on his face. His lovely green eyes gazing in to her hazel ones.

Harvey nodded enthusiastically. 'Yes that's right. Eggs are a great source of protein, and so delicious too.' He laughed and Maru giggled. Jane made a huffing sound as she studied the menu.

'I think I might have a pepperoni pizza for a change.' Jane handed Harvey the menu and he politely asked Maru if she could let him out from the table. She moved her legs to one side and Harvey squeezed past her, his jeans brushing past her knees. He went over to the bar to order.

Maru smiled across the table at Jane, and then looked down at the farmer's attire. She wondered why Jane hadn't changed out of her denim overalls which looked grubby. Her boots were worse; there were clumps of thick mud caked on to the soles and scuff marks around the toes. She guessed Jane didn't take pride in her appearance. She tried not to stare too closely at Jane's hands, especially her fingernails which had grit and dirt under them. Ewww, yuck! She felt like throwing up!

Jane broke the silence by asking Maru, 'how long have you worked for Dr Harvey?' She seemed genuinely interested.

Maru smiled. 'Oh I've worked for Harvey for about three years, but I've known him longer. I first met him when I was sixteen. I was at the river with Dad, I was helping him with his field research when I slipped on a rock and went under the water. Dad can't swim, but luckily Dr Harvey was out feeding the ducks that day and heard my dad's yells for help. Dr Harvey dived in to the water and saved me. He carried me back to the clinic and took care of me. After that, I started helping out where I could, you know... to return my gratitude.'

Jane seemed amazed; she laughed and looked in Harvey's direction. 'He dived in to the water? Wow, that's incredible!' Harvey returned with three drinks, a glass of wine for Maru and beer for himself and Jane. Both Jane and Maru thanked him, and Jane said, 'Maru has just been telling me about another one of your heroic adventures.'

Harvey looked from Jane to Maru and then back to Jane. 'Huh?'

Maru picked up her drink, took a sip and then said, 'I was telling Jane how you saved my life when I was a kid. I could have drowned if it wasn't for you.' She went to point at Harvey and forgot she had her glass in her hand and sloshed wine down his front. 'Ooops, I'm sorry that was clumsy of me... here let me wipe it.' Maru reached for a napkin from the napkin holder.

Harvey stood up looking embarrassed. 'I'd better get some paper towels,' he said and went to ask Gus. The awkward silence was back, and neither woman knew where to look.

Jane took a drink from her beer bottle and then picked at the label. Maru thought about the morning she found the bra behind the reception desk and caught herself scowling at Jane, but luckily Jane was too occupied with the label to notice. Ever since Dr Harvey had rescued her when she was a teenager, Maru had had a crush on him. She had never told anyone, and would have died if he'd found out. She loved working for him, seeing him smile when she brought him coffee, and enjoyed the little bags of candy he left for her sometimes. She had liked things how they were but then Jane came along and ruined the fantasy. She had never wanted Harvey romantically; she just enjoyed the fantasy and liked the attention he gave her. He made her feel special.

Harvey returned to the table and sat down next to Maru again. His top was still damp, but the paper towels had soaked up most of the wine. He took a sip of his beer and said, 'Have I missed much? What have you two ladies been talking about?'

'No, you haven't missed a thing. I was just thinking about the dog that's now living on my farm. I should probably purchase some shears from Marnie and give it a haircut.' Jane responded, 'Did Gus say how much longer the food will be?'

'No he didn't, but I think this is ours coming now.' Harvey said looking past Jane. Maru could see Emily the waitress carrying three plates of food. Emily was Hayley's nice, but slightly kooky sister.

'Who ordered the cheese burger?' Emily asked and then slid the plate in front of Harvey when he raised his hand indicating it was his. 'And the pasta?' Emily placed the bowl in front of Maru and warned her that the stoneware was hot. They all thanked the waitress and she left them to enjoy their meal.

'Where's your cooked breakfast Harvey?' Jane asked looking at his plate. She seemed confused.

Harvey had already popped a handful of fries in to his mouth and had to swallow them before he could answer. 'I changed my mind. I thought I'd try a cheeseburger for a change.' He offered Jane a French fry but she shook her head. Maru grabbed a fry off his plate and smiled cheekily. Harvey chuckled.

Harvey reached across the table and stole a slice of pizza from Jane's plate. Jane growled playfully but then laughed at Harvey when a stringy of cheese dripped down the front of his t-shirt. It left a greasy mark. 'Idiot,' she laughed and he shrugged, 'that's justice for stealing my food.'

'Ugh! I'm not doing very well today, that's now three times I've got something down my top since this morning.' He frowned looking at the stain, and Jane threw him a napkin. 'Thanks, he said and dabbed at the stain. Wiping the stain had no effect.'

Harvey offered Jane a bite of his cheese burger but Jane didn't want any. Maru on the other hand said, 'I'll have a bite,' and pulled Harvey's hands, that were holding out the burger to Jane, towards her own mouth and took huge bite. Jane made an odd sound. Harvey's cheeks went a little pink. He watched Maru intently whilst she licked the burger relish from the corners of her lips. He seemed almost hypnotised. Maru liked it.

'Mmm... that was delicious! Do you want to try some of my pasta?' Maru scooped some spirals up with her spoon and held it out for him.

Harvey leaned in opened mouthed ready to receive the pasta, but then yelped and rubbed his leg. 'Uhh, no thank you.' He turned to Jane, looking apologetic and mouthed 'I'm sorry!' Maru assumed Jane must have kicked him under the table. Wow, she's so violent!

They continued to eat, and whilst Maru watched Jane cutting a slice of pizza in to a smaller bite sized piece she remembered something and started giggling. Jane gave her an odd look, and raised an eyebrow at her. Maru turned to Harvey, cupped her hands to her mouth and whispered in his ear. He snickered and then they both fell about laughing. Harvey grabbed his beer when he started coughing and washed a bit of burger down his throat. Jane looked at them bemused, unaware of what Maru had said. She put down her cutlery an asked them what was so funny.

Harvey covered his mouth with his hand in an attempt to stifle his laugh and Maru answered, 'Oh it's just something silly. You probably wouldn't find it funny.' They both laughed again.

Jane folded her arms and had a look on her face that read she wasn't amused. 'Try me.'

'Okayyy...' Maru said giving Harvey a sideways glance. She set her spoon down. 'It was a while back. I was here in the Stardrop Saloon with my folks. You've met my mom and Dad haven't you?,' Jane nodded in response and Maru continued, 'The room was full of people, all drinking and chatting after a long day at work. Suddenly someone started choking. Everyone was looking, and then I saw Harv running over to help.'

Jane let out a laugh as she looked across at Harvey 'Wow, you really are the hero of Pelican Town aren't you Harv.' Jane raised her eyebrows and Harvey just laughed. Maru thought it was unfair of Jane to mock Harvey. 'And then what happened?'

Maru continued. 'It was Shane who was choking. He was eating pizza over at the bar, and got some pizza stuck in his throat. Harv was so quick to act. He smacked Shane on the back and dislodged the lump of dough.'

'You are right that isn't all that funny,' Jane interrupted rudely as she looked away and rolled her eyes.

Harvey took over the story. 'That's not the funny bit. Upon seeing the chunk of chewed up pizza laying there on the floor Sam who was on a date with his girlfriend Haley, turned to Haley and projectile vomited all down the front of her dress.' He let out a laugh.

'Haley was so pissed! She's like a model, with her perfect body, and perfect blonde hair. She didn't look so perfect with vomit covered hair matted to her face,' Maru added laughing. 'She literally screamed the place down. I'm surprised the windows didn't break with the pitch her voice reached! It actually reminded me of that Stephen King novel.'

'Carrie!' Harvey lost all control and doubled over laughing. He only stopped when he started choking and coughing.

Jane looked concerned and asked Harvey if he had his inhaler with him. Maru rolled her eyes and said, 'He's fine! Isn't that right Harv!' Maru elbowed him in the side.

Jane reached across the table and placed a hand on his. 'Harvey?' Why is she so concerned? He's a grown man!

He waved her off, 'Maru's right... I'm fine.' He laughed again at his and Maru's shared experience.

Jane sat back in her seat staring at the two of them. 'I guess I really needed to be there.'

When the laughter died down Harvey said, 'So umm.. I've been thinking about the Spirit's Eve festival and umm... and wondered if you were attending.' The question was meant for Jane but Maru answered.

'I'll be there. I love Spirit's Eve!' Maru said excitedly.

'What about you Jane? Will you be there?' Harvey smiled at Jane, and Maru felt a little jealous.

'I should think so, unless I get held up at the farm.' She smiled back and bit her lip. 'I seem to get a lot of unannounced visits these days, especially during the night.'

'Well hopefully I'll see you there then.' Harvey said looking dreamily at Jane, 'Or perhaps I'll see you before it starts.' Maru tore his attention away from Jane by patting his leg excitedly. She didn't see the look of disapproval on Jane's face.

'Oh, I've just remembered something I wanted to tell you. On the way here I saw Marnie and the Mayor arguing. She looked really upset, and Mayor Lewis was telling her not to make a scene in public.' She looked across at Jane and then returned her gaze towards Harvey. 'There is definitely something going on between them.'

'Everyone knows that Maru.' Harvey looked across at Jane and said, 'She's talking about the Marlew Saga. Mar for Marnie and Lew for... yeah, you get it.'

'Why does it matter? Maybe they are just friends.' Jane offered shrugging her shoulders.

Maru laughed. 'They are more than that. Marnie loves him – you can see it in the way she looks at him. Lewis would never admit it. He won't acknowledge their relationship.'

'I've never noticed anything going on, but saying that I tend to keep my nose out of other people's business.' It was Maru's turn to pull a face. Ouch, that burned!

Jane knocked back the rest of her beer and went to find the ladies toilet. Whilst she was gone Maru took the opportunity to move a little closer to Harvey. She tapped his chest with her finger and pointed to the image on his top. 'You know, you should wear t-shirts more often. They suit you.' She smiled at him.

Harvey blushed. 'Thank you. I don't get to dress down as often as I like. Do you want another drink?' She nodded and he went over to the bar. Maru watched him, thinking he looked so much cooler in his jeans – less nerdy. Whilst he was occupied with getting their drinks she opened her bag and freshened up her make-up. She took out her lipstick and applied some more gloss to her lips. She looked at her image in her compact mirror and noticed a few stray strands of hair and quickly brushed them back in to place. She pocketed her make-up tools as Harvey placed a fresh glass of wine in front of her. He sat down next to her and took a swig from his beer bottle.

'I wonder what's keeping Jane?' he asked looking for her. He stood up but when he didn't see her he sat back down.

'I think I saw her chatting to Shane.' Maru said, and then added, 'Maybe she likes the mean and moody sort. She's quite grumpy herself, so I think they would be well suited.' Maru laughed at her own comment. Harvey said nothing, and instead stared over towards Shane.

When Jane came back, Maru noticed she'd also freshened herself up. Her hair was tied differently; the pigtails had been replaced with a long braid. Jane's lips were also shiny with a pearlescent lip balm. As she sat down she appeared to blush, but then the expression on her face changed to confusion.

'Didn't you get me a drink Harvey?' Jane asked him. She was looking at Maru's drink on the table and then the beer Harvey was holding. In front of Jane was her empty bottle.

Harvey slapped his palm against his forehead. 'Oh Jane, I'm such an idiot! I can't believe I didn't get you another beer.' He stood up and as he went back over to the bar Jane followed him. Maru saw Jane look back at her and then whisper something in to Harvey's ear. He bought her the drink and then the pair stayed at the bar talking. Maru got bored sitting alone so picked up Harvey's drink and took it over to him.

Maru grabbed Harvey's shoulder and turned him to face her, causing him to show his back to Jane. She pushed his drink in to his hand. 'So Harv, I was wondering... if you were free tomorrow night maybe you might like to come over to my place. I've just had my telescope repaired and I thought I could give you a lesson on Astronomy.' She smiled, hoping he would say yes.

'Oh wow, I'd love to... that sounds amazing!'

Maru squealed, 'Yay! Then it's a date!' She threw her arms around him excitedly.

Jane put her bottle down heavily on the bar which caused the beer to erupt like a volcano. The frothy liquid pooled across the counter and trickled on to the wooden floor.

'Good night Harvey, I'm going home!' Jane stormed off, and Harvey went to follow but Maru grabbed his arm. He looked back at her frowning.

'Hey, do you want to play a game of pool?' Harvey tried to pull away which caused Maru to spill some of her drink. 'Come on... just one game.'

Harvey looked towards the door but Jane was gone. 'I should go after her.'

'Are you gonna leave me here all alone?' Maru gave him her best sad face she could muster up, and it worked. She saw his shoulders droop.

**Harvey**

Maru grabbed him by the hand and led him in to the games room. The pool table was located in the centre of the room with enough space to move around it. Along the back wall was a row of slot machines and old style arcade games that Harvey didn't have any interest in playing. He watched as Maru leaned down to place a coin in the slot. He looked away so as not to stare at her ass. He heard the thunderous rumble as the balls were released from the chamber within the table. Together, he and Maru racked the balls within the triangle.

Harvey expected some playful teasing from Maru at how nerdy it was that he knew the correct order the balls are placed in, but he remembered he was with Maru and not Jane. He felt a little saddened not to hear Jane's voice ribbing him. Maru asked if she could shoot first and he corrected her, telling her the proper term was 'break.' She grabbed a pool cue from the rack on the wall, lined up the shot and hit the cue ball. Harvey watched the white ball fly off the table and heard it clatter across the tiles.

He leaned down and scooped it up. Placing it back on the table he asked her if she'd played before. She giggled and shook her head. 'No, I never had much interest in this game before. I thought it might be fun.' Harvey sighed and rolled his eyes thinking he really should have gone after Jane.

'Here, let me show you.' He stood behind her, and showed her to correct way to hold the cue. He drew the stick back and with a little force he helped her take the shot. The balls scattered across the table and Maru jumped up excitedly when one of the striped balls went in to the pocket. 'Well done Maru, you have another shot.'

'Really! Okay, let me try this on my own.' She aimed at the white ball again but didn't manage to pot another ball. 'Oh!' She stuck out her bottom lip.

'Don't worry, you can have another go in a bit. It's my turn now.' Harvey walked around the table looking for the right ball. He chose the spotted green six ball. He lined up the shot and it went in to the pocket with ease. 'It's my go again.' He heard Maru whine in protest. As he took his next shot he happened to notice Maru's cleavage on show from across the table and he missed his ball and potted one of her balls instead.

'Oooh, is it my go?' She asked and ran around the table to take her shot. She couldn't quite reach so stretched herself across the table. Harvey swallowed hard when he saw Maru's skirt rise up revealing lacey red knickers. He quickly looked away but felt a twitch in his jeans. 'Oh, I can't get this one. Can you help me again?' She didn't have to ask him twice. He was right behind her, hands reaching around to hold the cue in the correct position. He felt her press in to him and it made him grunt. He helped her with the shot and then suggested they call it a night, the alcohol had made his brain fuddled and he didn't like the feeling. Maru made a sad face again but agreed that it was late and she should be heading home herself.

Outside the bar as Harvey said goodbye to Maru he felt her fingers entwine with his. She rubbed her thumb across the back of his hand. Her hand was small like Jane's but not calloused. He looked down at her hand wondering what she was doing.

Maru grabbed his t-shirt and pulled him towards her. She kissed him on the mouth, and without really thinking he kissed her back. After wondering what her lips tasted like in what seemed like forever he finally got to experience it. She tasted like wine, sweet and fruity.

He pushed her up against the brick wall unable to control himself. His hands went to her waist, and then to her backside. He felt for her underwear and began tugging them down. The alcohol and desire for sex took over his rational thinking. Maru's fingers fumbled at his belt buckle.

The door creaked open and the light from the bar poured out on to the dark street. Shane stepped out, and staggered drunkenly on to the cobbles. He glanced Harvey's way and gave him a knowing look. 'It's probably best not to fuck her here Doc, unless you want the whole town talking.' Shane let out a drunken laugh.

Harvey came to his senses, 'Uhh... shit,' he dropped his hands from beneath Maru's skirt and re-buckled his belt, 'It's not what you think Shane!' He felt so embarrassed but grateful for the interruption.

'I'm sure Doc, I'm sure it isn't.' Shane laughed and brushed past him as he went on his way.

Maru giggled and tried to kiss Harvey again. He backed away from her and turned his back to her. 'Go home Maru! This was the alcohol.'

Maru grabbed his hand and stopped him in his tracks. 'Are you kidding me? You would have screwed me if we hadn't been interrupted!' She tugged at his arm trying to make him turn around but he stood his ground.

Harvey sighed. 'I'm sorry Maru, but you need to go home. Good night.'

He locked the front door behind him and went up to his apartment. He sat down on his bed, undid his laces and kicked his sneakers on to the floor. His head was giddy from the alcohol, and his thoughts were full of regret. He scratched the back of his neck and remembered he had a bottle of whiskey in the kitchen that he'd brought back from his last trip to the city. He needed something a little stronger to wash away his stupidity, at least for the moment.

He took the bottle down from the cupboard and poured himself a glass. He swirled the amber liquid and took a drink. It felt warm as it hit the back of his throat. He poured another glass and put the bottle away.

As he brought the glass to his lips he heard a sound coming from downstairs. Feeling brave from the amount of alcohol he had consumed he went down to investigate.

He descended the stairs with his whiskey glass in his hand. As he reached the bottom he switched in the lights. He blinked momentarily as the lights flickered and then came on, lighting up the hallway. 'Hello?' he called out, his voice trembled a little.

Harvey stopped dead by the doorway to his office. He thought he was seeing things, but no... What he saw was real. Sitting on his desk was Maru. She wore a lacey red bra and nothing else. Harvey's jaw dropped open, and he almost dropped his glass. Some of the whiskey sloshed over his hand. Maru spread her legs, exposing her most intimate parts to him. He swallowed, and felt himself go hard. She had her own key to the clinic, she'd let herself in.

Walk away Harvey! Walk away!

She grinned at him from his desk. The desk he did his consultations at. The desk he'd sat at when Mayor Lewis had banned him from drinking. Perhaps he should have heeded Lewis' warning about the consumption of alcohol. That desk was also the place where he had tended to Jane's wounds, the first night he had met her. Sure, they hadn't had the best of starts, but he had since that moment been unable to get her out of his head. He felt a pang of guilt in his chest when he thought about Jane. He should have escorted her home, he should have made sure she got back ok.

Maru motioned with her index finger for him to come to her, like a siren luring a sailor to the rocks. Harvey stared at her, unable to move. He was tempted by her soft curves. She was beautiful. The bronze coloured skin on her thighs looked so smooth and deliciously inviting. His manhood pressed against the material of his jeans wanting to be let out. Just undo your belt buckle.

Harvey drained his whiskey glass, not once having taken his eyes off her naked body, and closed the door.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**Harvey**

When Harvey woke up he had a feeling of dread in his stomach. His mouth was dry and his tongue felt like an old dusty carpet. He got out of bed and dragged himself over to the kitchen sink where he turned on the tap and poured himself a glass of water. He noticed his empty glass from last night, there was a small trace of whiskey left at the bottom of the tumbler. He splashed some water on his face and turned off the tap. The room was spinning and he felt giddy. He needed something to eat, something to soak up the remnants of the alcohol that was still in his stomach. The chilled air that escaped from the fridge felt refreshing and cleared his head somewhat. He grabbed the block of cheese off the shelf and decided to make himself a cheese sandwich. He ate it by the window, and glanced out at the path that led to Jane's farm. He should go and see her, and apologise for being such an idiot last night. He scratched the back of his neck and thought about Maru, and about last night. He was so relieved not to see her when he woke up... that was one awkward conversation he wasn't ready for. He grabbed his towel and headed for the shower.

Harvey locked the clinic door and pocketed his keys. He still wasn't sure what he was going to say to Jane, or how much of what happened he was going to tell her. He knew she was upset with him because of the way she had stormed off. Maru had misunderstood when Jane had suggested they find a table, but Harvey didn't mind. He liked Maru, and thought the more the merrier. Jane, however, seemed quite annoyed. It was an awkward situation, and he didn't know how to handle it apart from to just go with it. In retrospect he probably should have said something along the lines of, 'Oh, sorry Maru – perhaps another time. I'm having drinks with Jane,' but he hadn't responded quickly enough and missed the opportunity.

Harvey had been secretly in love with Maru for years, but had never mustered up the courage to ask her out. When she sat down next to him on that bench seat he had felt butterflies in his stomach as her leg touched his. His breath had caught in his throat when she leaned in and whispered in his ear. Her warm breath sent a tingle through his body, and he caught himself looking down her top at her breasts, and then eyed up her curves later on when they played pool. He hoped to Yoba that Jane hadn't seen him looking. He felt terrible and regretted his foolishness.

He saw his reflection in the glass panel of the clinic door and sighed heavily. He wondered what Jane saw in him in the first place. Yes he was a competent doctor but apart from that he didn't think he was anything special. He didn't have money... he barely had enough to pay the bills at the end of the month. He'd never wish sickness or injury on anyone, but patients meant money and he could really do with a flu epidemic! He played with his moustache, twisting the longer bits between his fingers thinking perhaps he should shave it off and give himself a more youthful look. Jane was beautiful, with her amazing red hair and her freckles. She could have anyone she wanted, and after what he'd done she deserved to be with someone better than him. He was also curious as to why Maru was suddenly interested in him. She'd never shown any obvious interest in him before, unless her eagerness to work overtime was a sign he'd missed.

As he walked towards the path that lead towards Jane's farm he saw Maru coming down the steps. He pretended not to notice and sped up pace, thinking he didn't really want that conversation so soon. She had come from the park and had a look of worry on her face as she hurried towards him She waved in an attempt to get his attention but he kept his eyes ahead and didn't slow down.

'Dr Harvey! DOCTOR HARVEY! Please can we talk?' she bit her lip as she waited for him to answer. He stopped still and nodded without turning to look at her. How could her look her in the eye?. Hesitantly he followed her up the steps towards the fountain. He looked towards the bubbling water and remembered the first kiss he'd shared with Jane. He then thought about the kiss he'd shared with Maru and felt like a bastard. 'I err... need to apologise about last night. I'm so sorry.' Her hands were together as if in prayer. 'I'm so embarrassed... After we kissed outside the saloon I couldn't stop thinking about you. I realise we had both been drinking and I was flirting with you...'

Harvey looked down at his feet unable to make eye contact. What was he going to tell Jane. He felt so ashamed. That kiss should have been planted on Jane's lips, and his hands should have been on Jane's thighs not Maru's. He coughed feeling very uncomfortable and wanted nothing more than to walk away. The image of Maru sitting on his desk had burned in to his memory. It was going to be a while before he'd forget, if he even could. He shook his head and opened his mouth to speak but the words wouldn't come. He kicked at the dirt with his shoe focusing on dislodging a half buried stone.

'I don't normally do things like that... get naked and exhibit myself.' Maru continued to chew on her lip. Harvey noticed she'd drawn blood. 'I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell my parents. I don't think either of them would be impressed, and my dad would probably flip out.' She took a step towards him but he stepped back and held his hands out keeping a barrier between them.

Harvey found his voice, 'I... I... I think that's probably for the best.' He felt extremely hot in his jacket despite the cold wind that blew through the park. He forced himself to look at her. 'Maru, I shouldn't have... I'm seeing Jane.' He thought that probably sounded pathetic, and it was what he should have said last night.

'Dr Harvey... I really don't know what came over me. My mother would be so ashamed of me if she knew how I'd behaved.' She brought her arm up in front of her face and held it across her eyes. Harvey instinctively took a Kleenex from his pocket and handed it to her. She dabbed at her tears. 'Thank you. I never realised how much I liked you until I couldn't have you. I know that sounds stupid.' The floodgates opened up and the tears came streaming down her face. Harvey's eyes widened and he froze on the spot. His lips moved silently repeating her words as he processed what she had said. Demetrius had been telling the truth. Maru really did like him back!

Harvey sat her down on the wall and squatted in front of her. He handed her another tissue. 'Hey, come on please don't cry Maru. I won't say anything to your parents, I promise.' He smiled cautiously.

Maru jumped up from the fountain and threw her arms around him. The action knocked Harvey off balance and he fell in to a seated position with Maru practically in his lap. She hugged him so tight that she compressed his ribs, causing Harvey to groan in pain. Her sweet shampoo filled his nostrils and he relaxed against her, closing his eyes and remembering how she smelt last night. Harvey abruptly tensed when he spotted Abigail strolling past and scrambled free of Maru's hold. He stood up brushing leaves and bits of twig from his clothes.

Abigail wolf whistled. 'Maru? Doc! When did you two become a thing?' Abigail let out a deep laugh, throwing her purple hair behind her. She blew a pink gum bubble and it popped leaving a sickly sweet odour in the air. Harvey felt his stomach roll in response to the sugary scent. He never saw the appeal in bubblegum. 'I can't wait to tell Sebby!' She meant Sebastian, Maru's half brother. She thumbed behind her in the direct of Maru's house, indicating she was going straight there.

Harvey felt his cheeks get warm as the panic rose in his chest. He waved Maru's hands away from his arm. 'No, it's nothing like that! She's upset, and I was comforting her.' He spoke with urgency, needing her to believe him.

'That's not how it looked from where I was standing, and you also seem a little jumpy... like you have something to hide.' She laughed and continued on her way without giving Harvey the chance to say any more. Harvey heard the recognizable popping sound as Abigail blew another gum bubble ad it burst across her Shane been spreading gossip? Harvey did not want to be the talk of the town. He frowned and kicked at the hard dirt and finally managed to dislodge the stone from the compacted ground. It bounced away and Harvey wished he was able to bounce or even run away from the situation he'd found himself in.

He turned to face Maru. As he spoke to her, she could clearly hear irritation in his voice. 'I suggest you speak to your brother before this gets out of hand. Neither of us needs this kind of gossip.'

She nodded in agreement and turned away from him. She hid her face. 'Yes, I will talk to him. Hopefully he won't be an ass about it.' Fresh tears had begun to fall again.

'Good, that's good.' He removed his glasses and rubbed the space between his eyes. He was getting a headache. 'Look, I really don't like seeing you upset like this but I've got to go and talk to Jane.'

She forced a smile but her lip trembled. She sniffed and tried to compose herself but the tears ran down her cheeks. She took one last look at him, her eyes were red from crying, then she nodded and trudged off home.

He popped his glassed back on and dashed down the steps. He decided to visit Pierre's grocery store before continuing to Jane's farm. It would probably be best not to turn up at Jane's door empty handed. He felt his cheeks go warm again when he asked Pierre if he had any flowers.

'Flowers... hmmm... one moment, I'll be right back!'

Whilst Harvey waited for the shop owner to return, time seemed to slow. He glanced around the room, his eyes wandering from one thing to the next not really taking in what he was looking at. He noticed the charity box on the counter and reached in to his pocket for his wallet. He found some loose change and pushed the coins in to the slot at the top of the rubber teddy bears head. The charity was for disadvantaged children as Harvey liked to donate a few coins whenever he could spare them. He leaned an elbow against the counter and rested his cheek on his fist. What's taking Pierre so long? The digital clock on the wall displayed 10:40. Time was getting on and Harvey wanted to get to Jane's before she went foraging or mining or whatever it was she busied herself with. Harvey involuntarily tapped his foot against the tiles and when he realised what he was doing he stood up and walked away from the counter. He stretched his arms behind his neck and yawned loudly.

He saw a wooden crate filled with red apples and picked one up. He tossed it in the air and caught it. He looked up at the clock again which read 10:42, and then looked towards the door. He wished Pierre would hurry back. He picked up two more apples and began juggling. Juggling had been one of his talents he liked to show off at medical school. He would juggle all sorts of things, but stopped when a fellow student had dared him to juggle three urine sample containers. He had been so eager to impress her. She was a pretty girl, blonde, with blue eyes and a lovely smile. It had been a prank and the moment he threw them in to the air he'd realised the lids weren't screwed on properly and got covered in urine. The girl who'd tricked him was known for being spiteful, although to look at her she seemed like sweet and angelic. He joined in with the laughter, but really he felt humiliated and never spoke to blonde-girl again.

The door opened and Harvey took his eyes off the apples. They hit the ground with a thud, thud, thud. 'I hope you are going to pay for those!'Pierre's voice boomed across the room. Harvey scooped the bruised fruit up in his arms and brought them over to the counter.

'Yes, of... of course!' Harvey stuttered. 'I was just checking how firm they were.'

The shop owner handed him a large bunch of sunflowers and Harvey cringed. 'Haven't you got anything smaller?' he asked struggling to see past the flowers and fancy wrappings. 'Something... umm... less fancy? Don't you think the pink bow is a bit much?!'

'I've got a bundle of onions?' Pierre pointed to the basket in front of the counter and chuckled. Harvey rolled his eyes and breathed out heavily. 'I had my wife Caroline put these together for you. She's quite handy with flower arrangements. I guess I'll tell her you aren't keen.' Pierre chuckled.

'No need to do that! They are great! Please tell her I said thank you.' Harvey did not want to upset anymore of the women in Pelican Town! He handed over a wad of cash, subtly forgot about the apples, and carried the enormous bouquet of sunflowers out in front of him. He almost bumped in to Evelyn, the elderly grandmother who lived with her husband George and grandson Alex, who he didn't see enter the store. She laughed and asked who the lucky lady was. Harvey went bright red and couldn't make his escape quick enough.

He'd almost tripped twice on the way towards Jane's farm. The sunflowers obscured his view and his foot had got caught on a rock and then he lost his footing when his shoe went in to a pothole. He gritted his teeth feeling hot a bothered. He was perspiring and his arms were getting weak from holding the flowers.

As he approached the farm he saw Jane heaving her pickaxe in to the ground. She was uprooting the plants that had come to the end of their season. She picked up the mess of scraggly root and branches and tossed them in to the wheelbarrow. She grabbed the wooden handles and manoeuvred the barrow over to her compost bin where she tipped out the plant waste. On her way back to the patch of land she was clearing she saw him and stopped. She lowered the wheelbarrow and let go of the handles. She walked in to the house without a word. Harvey silently followed her in and held out the sunflowers to her. The wrappings were crumpled from being carried but the flowers were still fine.

She clearly is upset with me!

Jane grabbed a bottle of ice cold water from the fridge, and unscrewed the cap. She took a long drink, and then wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her forearm leaving a smear of dirt in its place. She gestured towards the bouquet with a nod. 'Are they for me?' Harvey nodded slowly and Jane took them from him. 'I'd have given you a better price if you've come to me directly. Pierre most likely sold them to you for double what he bought them off me for.'

Harvey's eyes gazed towards his feet. 'Oh...' He looked up when she took them from and he saw her smirk as she noticed the pink bow.

Jane filled the sink with tap water and placed the stalks in to the cold liquid. 'Thanks Harvey. Do you want a drink? I can make you a coffee, or there's diet cola in the fridge.' Harvey opened the fridge and crabbed a can of cola.

'Cola is fine, thanks.' The can made a 'Tsk' sound as he lifted the ring pull. His throat welcomed the fizzy cold liquid as he gulped it down.

Jane watched him as he set the can down. 'Are you here to help? I could do with a second pair of hands.'

Harvey smiled, 'Yeah sure.' He shrugged his jacket off and undid his tie. Jane took them from him and threw them on to her bed. Harvey looked at the bed wondering if Jane would share it with him again if she found out about his and Maru's antics. Jane caught him looking which made him blush. She opened the door, and he followed her outside.

Outside it was so cold without his jacket on. He shivered and rubbed his arms. 'You'll soon warm up Harv.'

Harvey closed his eyes and groaned. 'Please don't call me that. I don't like it.' When he opened his eyes he saw her shrug her shoulders. She picked up her pickaxe again and swung it in front of her where it broke a hole in the earth. She lifted it and swung it again. She was definitely annoyed at him, and she was taking her anger out on her wilted vegetable plants.

'You didn't seem to mind last night, when Maru said it.' Jane knelt down and pulled forcibly at the base of the corn plant and ripped it out of the soil. She breathed heavily as she stood up, and placed her hands on her hips. Harvey's mouth moved like a goldfish's. He didn't know what to say to her comment. 'Are you going to help or just stand there gawking?'

Harvey jumped at Jane's tone. 'Yes, I'm waiting for my instructions.' Jane raised an eyebrow and handed him the pickaxe. Harvey fumbled with it and almost dropped it on his own foot. Jane shook her head and exhaled. Maybe I should go home and stay out of her way.

Harvey felt Jane watching him like a hawk as he lifted the axe on to his shoulder. It was heavy, but she made it look so effortless. He swung his arms and the axe dug in to the ground. Jane's frown softened and Harvey felt relieved that he was doing it correctly. He swung the axe again and then bent down and dragged the plant from the earth.

'She's never referred to me as 'Harv' before. It's always been Dr Harvey.' Harvey could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn't remember the last time he did physical labour. He placed the plant in to the wheel barrow and started removing another with the pickaxe. Again he reached down and dragged it in to the wheelbarrow. Jane grabbed the handles and wheeled it over to the compost bin. She tipped it out and went to fetch some secateurs. Jane handed a pair to Harvey and took him over to the pumpkin patch. She held the thick vine and showed him where to cut it. She snipped the pumpkin, freeing it from the plant, and carried it over to her barn. Again Jane made the task seem effortless. Harvey did as Jane had shown him; he held the vine and cut it with the secateurs. He then scooped the pumpkin in to his arms and carried over to the barn. He breathed out heavily as he held it to his chest. He wondered how Jane managed all the farm work on her own, because the small amount he'd helped her with had made him feel exhausted.

Where's your dog?' Harvey asked, suddenly noticing the dog's absence. 'That huge matted beast that came barging in to my clinic... I can't smell its lovely odour.'

'I took it to see Marnie. She's going to clean it up and give it a haircut. When I see what he or she looks like I'll choose a name for it. Perhaps I'll call it Harvey,' she scoffed, 'it could be Harv for short.' Harvey frowned.

Harvey groaned at her successful attempt at teasing him, but chuckled because he did find a bit funny. 'Har har har... you think you are hilarious don't you!'

'So... what happened after I left the bar Dr Harvey?' Jane asked, sharp secateurs in her hand. The snip snip sound they made as she opened and closed the blades unnerved him. Harvey swallowed.

'Nothing!' he said a little too fast. 'We played a game of pool and then we went home.' He was perspiring from the farm work but also from anxiety.

Jane watched the sweat drip down his face. She sighed and chewed on her thumbnail. 'Is there something going on Harvey with you and Maru?'

Her words made him take a step back. The pumpkin he was holding slipped out of his hand and hit the floor where it split open. The fleshy innards and seeds made quite the mess around their feet. 'Oh fuck! Shit, I'm sorry!' He tried to pick up the pieces but she told him to leave it and kicked some of it away with her boot.

'Just tell me Harvey! Are you seeing her?' Jane frowned and waited for him to answer. She folded her arms across her chest, and didn't seem bothered at all by the mess he'd made.

'No I am not seeing Maru,' he said firmly. 'What a ridiculous thing to say!'

Jane scowled at him, eyed him suspiciously. He felt worried. Had Shane told her that he'd seen him with Maru? 'She was all over you last night, leaning in, whispering in your ear. You were like two high school lovers giggling away at one point.'

'Jane...' Harvey tried.

Jane gritted her teeth. 'Did you sleep with her?' Her eyes pierced in to his, searching for the truth.

'I can't believe you're asking that! Is that the sort of man you think I am?

'You haven't answered my question Harvey. Did you sleep with Maru? Did you take her back to your apartment and have sex with her?' Her voice was firm and she was close to shouting.

Harvey felt his chest getting tight. 'No Jane, I did not sleep with Maru. Why would you even ask that?' He didn't know where to look. He hoped the feeling of guilt he had in the pit of his stomach didn't show on his face.

Jane studied his face, and for a moment Harvey thought she was going to question him further but instead she sighed and her serious expression was replaced with a strained smile. 'I'm sorry, I'm just being paranoid. We haven't been dating all that long and Maru is so pretty and I'm-

'-you are beautiful Jane.' Harvey leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. Jane blushed and bit her lip. Harvey eyed the muddy smear on her forehead. 'You are also muddy too.' He chuckled.

'Maybe I should take a shower then?' Jane smirked, 'and wash some of this mud off.'

Harvey scratched his elbow. 'I'll just get my jacket and I'll get going then.'

Jane looked at him bemused. 'Perhaps I wasn't being clear enough... that was an invitation for you to join me.' She covered her eyes with her hand and laughed at him.

Harvey felt his cheeks go warm. 'Oh! Well, why didn't you say that?'


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Jane**

Jane's mouth fell out when she saw the animal that came bounding towards her. Marnie tried to hold it back but with her arm still in a sling the chain slipped out of her hands and clinked along the hard ground. The moment the dog saw Jane step on to Marnie's ranch it excitedly lept forward in an attempt to reach her. The dog stood up on its hind legs and steadied itself whilst it frantically licked at Jane's face.

'No way! Is this really my dog? It looks so different! I'm absolutely amazed!' Jane beamed.

Marnie panted and laughed simultaneously. 'She's really happy to see her mama.' Marnie rubbed her shoulder and winced.

Jane's eyes widened. 'The dog is female?' Marnie nodded, still rubbing her shoulder. 'She looks so different without all that matted fur! Hey, stop that!' She playfully swatted at the dogs head as it continued to lick at her face.

'You've definitely got a new friend there Jane.' Marnie giggled.

'Marnie you have done an amazing job cleaning her up. Down girl, nooo... get down!' The dog ignored her, and instead yowled loudly. 'Uhh, looks like I'm gonna have to teach her some manners. Honestly though, I can't believe the transformation!' Jane laughed and then told Marnie to send her the bill.

Marnie blushed. 'I don't like to charge you, but with winter coming things are going to be tight for a while and if truth be told I could do with the coin.'

'So Marnie, were you able to identify what breed of dog she is?' Jane asked still trying to get the dog to stop licking her.

'I did do some research and as far as I could find, she appears to a crossbreed. I think she may be half Newfoundland, because of her size and her thick coat but I can't be sure. The other half... no idea. She could be half horse!' Marnie chuckled but winced again in pain as she reached up to stroke the dog. 'Anyway, have you chosen a name?'

'I've got a few in mind but don't have anything set in stone. Marnie I think you should see Harvey about your shoulder. You seem to be in a lot of pain.' Marnie waved her suggestion off with her good arm. 'I'm serious Marnie, if you are in that much pain you should see him.'

'Oh I don't like to be a bother.'

'If it's money Marnie... I can't help out?' Jane had had a pretty good year with her crops and had managed to stash away a considerable amount of money.

Marnie shook her head and smiled politely. 'It's not the money; I just don't want to take up his time. I will go and see him tomorrow in the morning if Maru can schedule me in.

Satisfied that Marnie had agreed to go to the clinic in the morning, Jane smiled and said goodbye. Marnie was so kind and caring towards other people that she could easily neglect her own wellbeing. Jane clicked her tongue and the dog followed her home, sniffing at her heels.

Back at the farm Jane finally allowed the dog to enter her home. The dog dashed inside at such speed that it barged in to armchair with a loud thump. 'Woah! Calm down! I don't want you to destroy my house!' Jane called to it as it darted back and forth sniffing out all of the strange smells. Jane saw the fridge about to topple over and quickly leap across the room and steadied it. The dog was standing tall on its hind legs whining. 'Ahh, you want food? I can get you some food. Just please don't tip my fridge over.'

Jane opened one of the cupboard doors and picked up the big bag of dog food she'd bought from Pierre's store. The dog barked in excitement and tried to stick its nose in the bag, but Jane held it tight against her chest. She opened the front door and the dog ran head of her in anticipation. Jane made a mental note to ask Robin, the local carpenter, about building a dog house. Her farmhouse wasn't big enough for such a large dog, so perhaps it was best the dog stayed outdoors. She filled the bowl with food and watched her new companion messily wolf it down. The dog had a huge muzzle and any crumbs were quickly sniffed out and vacuumed up. Jane sat down on the porch next to the dog and felt tiny next to it.

'I really ought to choose a name for you.' Jane ruffled the fur on the back of the dog's neck. 'Hmm... but what should I call you? Roxy?' The dog snorted. ' Not Roxy... how about Rug? I did mistake you for a rug when I first saw you.' Another seemingly disapproving snort came from the dogs nostrils.

Jane thought about she'd teased Harvey. She jokily told him she was going to name the dog Harvey. He wasn't amused. The memory made her she giggled. The dog stopped eating for a second and turned its face to look at Jane as if to say, 'Don't even think about it!' Jane pushed herself off the porch and stepped back from the house. She took a long look at the huge beast.

'How about Bear because you do sort of look like a small bear?' Jane wondered. The dog barked in response but continued to eat. 'Then it's settled! Welcome home Bear.' Jane smiled at her dog.

Jane headed in to the dark cavernous mines with Bear by her side. She had her backpack slung over her shoulder filled with her supplies. Whenever she ventured in to the mines she always took food with her to replenish her energy. She had packed sandwiches, apples, and few snack bars - just enough for a few hours work. In one hand she held her pickaxe, and in the other she held the chain that was attached to Bear's thick leather collar. 'Come on Bear, this way,' she commanded. Training the dog to follow commands was going to take some effort. Twice on the way to the mines Jane had had to chase after the animal when it spotted a rabbit or a squirrel. The chain had burned the skin on her palm as it whipped out of her hand. She called to Bear but she ignored her voice. She wondered whether bringing her to the mines had been a good idea, she didn't want to lose her in the darkness.

When Jane was happy she'd reached a deep enough level in the mine to guarantee a successful haul she dropped her backpack to the ground and began heaving the pickaxe in to the rocks. Whilst she worked, her fluffy companion busied itself by sniffing about the cavern finding mushrooms and cave carrots to munch on. Jane wiped her sweaty face with the back of her hand. She picked up her pickaxe again and swung it in to the rock. The rock cracked and crumbled revealing a green glassy gem. Jane picked it up and turned it in her hand, examining the quality. Satisfied with it she threw it in to her backpack with the other rocks and gems she had found. She picked up her bag and almost stumbled backwards from the weight of its contents. 'Time to head home Bear, come on lead the way.' It was getting late, and she fancied a drink before heading home to her empty house.

Bear dashed ahead of her and Jane picked up the pace trying to keep up with the dog. It was then that she heard a screeching sound from above. Jane ducked as something flew over her head. Another screech joined the first one and together they made an awful racket. Jane put her hand to her belt, unclasped the press-stud on the leather and pulled her dagger from its sheath.

When she'd first tried to enter the mines she had been stopped by Marlon the Leader of the Adventurer's Guild. Jane had rolled her eyes at his warnings of danger and tried to refuse the rusty sword he'd pushed in to her hand. She had felt so silly wearing it on her belt, but that same day something spooked her from the shadows and she didn't hesitate to swing the blade in front of her. Since then she'd upgraded her weapon to a steel dagger. It had a sharp blade and was light enough for her to manage, and she only carried it when she explored the mines.

She swung her dagger and slashed the bats wing clean off, feeling a pang of empathy as it screamed in pain. She heard the thud as it landed head first on to one of the rocks below. She was about to deal with the second bat when Bear jumped in to the air and caught it in her jaws. Blood spurted from Bear's mouth and the second bat was dead.

Jane put her dagger away and patted Bear's huge head. 'Good girl.' The dog licked her hand. 'Come on, let's go to saloon. I want a drink before they close.' Bear swished her tail as she followed Jane.

The music from the jukebox was playing very loudly when she opened the door. The Stardrop saloon was bursting with patrons, all deep in conversation and laughing at some joke or other. She wandered over to Gus at the bar with Bear at her heels. 'Hi Gus, could I have a cold beer please?' She hopped up on to a bar stool and Bear lay down on the floor. 'Good girl,' she said looking down at her exhausted dog. Gus placed a bottle of beer in front of Jane and told her that food orders were closing in ten minutes. 'It's ok,' she said loudly trying to be heard over the noise, 'I've only come in for the one beer.' Gus smiled and went to serve another customer.

Jane took a swig of her beer and gasped as the bubbles fizzed at the back of her throat. She swivelled on her seat and leaned an elbow on the counter. She surveyed the room. As per usual, she saw Shane propping up the counter at the other end of the bar. He saw her looking and raised his beer bottle to her, and she mimicked the gesture. Jane continued to look around the room, noticing Demetrius with his wife Robin sitting in a booth sharing a deep kiss. Nice to see they still kiss after being married for years. Jane laughed and sloshed her beer down the front of her hoody. 'Shit,' she said out loud and then repeated her words when she saw Maru walk through the door. The two women made eye contact. Jane was relieved when Maru made her way over to Shane, completely ignoring her parent's who were still kissing. She was still annoyed with Maru about the other night, about interrupting her evening. She had thought about speaking to her but didn't know if getting in to a row with Harvey's employee was a good idea.

Jane watched them talking, and noticed how Shane kept glancing her way. He and Maru were deep in conversation, but Maru didn't seem to be enjoying it. Jane drank the last of her beer and thanked Gus. She headed out the door and was about to take the path home when she realised she'd forgotten the dog. Jane laughed then pushed the door open and clicked her tongue at her sleeping carpet. Bear's ears twitched and she lifted her head towards the direct of the sound. 'Bear... are you coming?' Bear yawned and stretched, then sluggishly made her way over to Jane. Jane smiled and then the pair made their way home.

**Harvey**

It was the night of the Spirit's Eve festival and all the villagers were out celebrating. The usual long tables were set up with delicious smelling foods and crates of beer and bottles of soft drinks. Most of the seats were taken as families gathered together to join in the celebrations. People were chatting and laughing, and some were even dancing. Harvey noticed Penny trying to sit her mother down for something to eat, but Pam waved her daughter's arm away. Harvey could tell Pam had had more than her share of alcohol. She was talking Marlon's ear off, leaning in very closely but the guild leader didn't seem to mind. Penny on the other hand looked embarrassed. Harvey chuckled.

Harvey picked up a glass and dipped it in to the bowl of pumpkin juice. He took a sip and pulled a face. 'Oh, wow that's a lot of vodka! I hope the children haven't drunk any of this!' He placed his glass back on the table and walked over to one of the buffet tables thinking he needed something to get rid of the taste of vodka. He liked most alcoholic beverages but vodka was one he never got the taste for. He grabbed a handful of mini pretzels out of one of the glass bowls and popped them in to his mouth. His tongue welcomed the saltiness. He took another handful and shoved them in to his mouth greedily.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder which made him jump. 'Hey Doc, have you been in the maze yet? The wizard set it up this morning, it's really something!' As Harvey had a mouthful of pretzels he could only raise his eyebrows and shake his head. It was Pierre who spoke. 'Just don't get lost in there.' Pierre laughed and walked over to join his wife at one of the long tables. Harvey swallowed his mouthful of pretzels and on Pierre's suggestion he went to check out the maze. He thought about the shopkeeper's attempt at scaring him - just don't get lost in there, and let out a laugh.

Harvey had only been in the maze for five minutes and already he was lost. He didn't think he'd ventured that far but he couldn't find his way back. The further in to the maze he had walked the darker it seemed to get. He stood on his tiptoes trying to see over the hedges that formed the maze walls but they were too high even for his six feet four inches. He could still hear the chatter and the music coming from the festival so knew he couldn't be that far away from the town centre. Where were the other contenders? He didn't really have a desire to win the golden pumpkin; he'd entered the maze more to prove to himself that he wasn't scared, but he was scared. He didn't like being alone. He knew it was just a game but he couldn't stop the tremble in his knees, the panic in his chest, and the high pitched whistle that came from his throat. He turned the corner, his hands feeling the small bushy leaves hoping to find a gap but he was met another dead end. He turned back and followed the path he'd come from but that turned in to another dead end. It was almost as if the walls of the maze were changing but he knew that wasn't possible. Or was it? It was a wizard who'd created the maze after all.

He turned another corner and slammed in to someone. His glasses were knocked from his face. He frantically grabbed the arm of the blurry figure in front of him. 'Oh I'm so glad I found you! I'm so lost!'

It's ok Harvey, don't worry. I'm here now.' She said sliding his glasses back on his face. The blurry image became clear and Harvey sighed.

'Maru?' He exclaimed as she stepped towards him, forcing him to squash up against the hedge.

'What are you doing here?' The high pitched whistle in his throat came with each breath.

She looked up in to his eyes. 'I can't stop thinking about you Harvey. I thought I could but I can't!' She raised herself up on her toes and tried to kiss him but he leaned his head back. She pouted playfully but then said, 'last night I touched myself thinking about you.'

Oh no! What in Yoba's name!?

Harvey stared at Maru in shock, his eyes were wide and his lips slightly parted. He shook his head and waved his hands in protest. 'No, no, no! Maru, we already talked about this!'

'Harvey...' She said leaning in closer to him. She smiled mischievously which made Harvey feel increasingly more anxious. He glanced sideways hoping not to be seen by anyone else and at the same time hoping someone would find them so he could get away from Maru.

He felt wheezy, and each intake of breath was a strained noisy whine. She hadn't noticed he was in distress. She continued to come at him, touching him, trying to entice him.

'Maru...' He wheezed and coughed.

She placed two fingers on his lips to quieten him, to stop him from protesting, and then walked her fingers down his chin to his chest and toyed with his shirt buttons suggestively. She moistened her lips with her tongue before saying, 'We should really finish where we left off.' Her finger poked through the opening between this shirt buttons and with her polished nail she tickled his bare skin.

Harvey ignored her hand and undid his neck tie, his fingers initially struggled with the knot but once he managed to hook his thumb through he pulled it loose. The restriction around his throat was relieved somewhat but he still felt like there was a weight on his chest preventing his lungs from expanding, from filling with oxygen. He moved his hand to his chinos pocket but Maru grasped his fingers and placed them to her lips.

Harvey had had enough; he wasn't in the mood for her games. He pulled his hand back and walked away. He coughed again and fumbled for his inhaler but Maru grabbed his arm to stop him leaving.

'Harvey!' she cried after him. Harvey wheezed heavily, each breath more drawn than the last. Maru stepped in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. He tried to move around her but she moved with him and blocked him. 'Harvey please... choose me!'

He pushed her. No, he shoved her to one side roughly, knowing he'd regret the action later, and hurried away as quickly as his wobbly legs would carry him. He didn't see her fall against the hard ground, or see her scrape her knees. He didn't even hear her cry out in frustration.

'Leave me alone Maru!' his voice raspy, barely above a whisper.

He turned a corner, not knowing if he'd been that way already. It all looked the same. He saw an opening in the hedge. He stumbled through the gap, grabbing on to the leafy branches for the little support they offered. His legs wouldn't hold him up anymore and he slipped down to the ground still clutching leaves from the bush in his hand. He coughed and wheezed, feeling himself getting lightheaded.

'Harvey?' said the voice he recognised so well. 'Harvey... what's happened? Lewis told me you'd gone in to the maze so I came looking for you... ohhh!' Jane hurried over to him and knelt down next to him. She lifted his chin with her hand so she could see his face better. She had an urgent look on her face.

Maru appeared and Harvey saw Jane's expression change from worry to detest. Harvey hoped she wasn't over scrutinizing the situation.

'There you are!' Maru bounced over and messed up Harvey's hair. She looked down at Jane who was still kneeling beside Harvey. 'Silly Harvey got himself lost and I found him. He's fine now... he's a real 'fraidy cat!' She giggled. Jane scowled. Harvey struggled to breathe.

Jane rummaged though Harvey's pockets until she found his medicine. 'He's clearly not fine. He's having an asthma attack!'

Maru looked dumbstruck. 'Uhh...What?!'

Jane pressed Harvey's inhaler to his lips. He was no longer calm, and he grabbed her hand tightly. His own hand was shaking. 'Come on sweetheart breathe this in.' He didn't need her direction... he'd been doing it for years. He placed his lips around the mouthpiece and inhaled deeply when she depressed the canister. He gasped for breath when his airways opened up. 'That's it Harvey, and again.' Feeling a little calmer he loosened his grip on her hand and breathed in another dose.

The relief was wonderful but he still felt very chesty. The wheezy whine produced from his chest accompanied his voice, 'More.'

Jane nodded and returned the mouthpiece to his lips. He took another puff and then another. Jane handed Harvey his inhaler. 'Are you going to be ok Harvey?' He nodded and let his hand drop to his side.

'I will be.' His voice sounded rough and gravelly. His throat was dry and sore. Harvey could breathe a lot easier but the wheezy sound still remained. His head was pounding and he needed to sleep.

Jane stood up and questioned Maru. 'How did you not notice the signs?' She looked mad, her neatly plucked eyebrows almost joined at the middle. She prodded a finger in to Maru's chest aggressively. 'I thought you were a nurse!'

Maru flinched and shielded herself by folding her arms across her chest. 'No, I'm not a nurse... why would you think that?' she scoffed but looked worried.

Harvey watched the commotion play out in front of him too exhausted from his asthma attack to stop them.

Jane lifted her arms out to her sides and shrugged her shoulders. 'Err... why wouldn't I think that. You wear a fucking nurse's uniform!'

'Ohh, that's just for fun.' Maru giggled nervously, but then burst in to laughter. Jane looked furious.

'Are you for real?' Jane's face was red. She glared at Maru and spittle shot out of her mouth as she spoke. 'You are kidding me right? You are seriously not right in the head!' Jane was right up in Maru's face.

'Ladies! Please...' Harvey was exhausted and had to catch his breath. 'Please don't fight.'

Jane returned to him and held out her hand to him which he took. She pulled him to his feet. Again he was marvelled by her strength. She placed her arm around him and helped to steady him. 'Come on Harvey, let's get you out of here.' He didn't see either woman's expression but he heard the warning clear enough in Jane's voice when she said, 'Bitch, fuck off!'

He thought about saying something but he didn't have the energy. He and Jane walked back to the festival together leaving Maru behind in the shadows to sulk. Jane pushed Harvey through the opening in the hedge that returned them to the entrance. He looked back and decided he would give it a miss next year. Harvey grabbed Jane's hand as they walked in to the town, not really thinking about anyone seeing them together.

Jane led him to one of the long tables and told him to sit down and then she disappeared out of sight. There were other people seated at the table, and they were staring at him. He peered over his shoulder and noticed that the people at the other table were also glancing his way. He could hear them talking and wondered if they were gossiping about him. He was too tired to care. He realised he was still holding on to the twig from the maze and tossed it on to the table cloth like it was cursed.

Jane returned to the table with a glass of water. She pressed the glass in to his hand. It was ice-cold and looked refreshing. He brought it to his lips and took a deep gulp. His throat felt soothed but he coughed violently. He felt Jane's small hand on his back patting him. He retrieved his inhaler from his pocket and took another two doses of medicine. He tried not to notice the faces watching as he held his breath and counted out the seconds, then released it and breathed more easily again. The villagers looked concerned.

He felt exhausted and slightly disorientated. His head was giddy and he needed to go home. He also felt embarrassed. Yet again he'd shown himself up. After the incident in the mines - after he had been diagnosed he'd tried to hide his asthma but eventually they all knew about it. It was a small town and people gossiped. He'd had two acute asthma attacks in the last five years and on both occasions everyone had fussed over him. He'd had so much food cooked for him he hadn't been able to close his fridge door properly. He wasn't one for attention.

He lifted the glass to his lips and took another sip of water and managed to drink it without coughing. He felt a hand pat him on the shoulder which made him jump. He lifted his head and saw Marnie hovering over him rubbing her shoulder with her good hand. 'Umm... Doc Harvey. My shoulder has been giving me some considerable pain and umm... Jane suggested I make an appointment to see you.' Harvey opened his mouth to speak but Jane placed her hand on his to stop him.

'It's not really a good time Marnie. If Dr Harvey is up to seeing patients in the morning I'm sure he'll give you a call.' Jane smiled. It was then that Marnie realised Harvey wasn't well and excused herself.

'Oh, uh... yes of course!' Marnie said embarrassed and went over to stand near Mayor Lewis.

Jane whispered in to Harvey's ear. 'Have some people really got no commonsense?' Harvey laughed, and then stopped when he noticed Maru watching from across the table. She had a moody look on her face. She most likely wasn't happy about being left in the maze.

'I need to go home,' he said to Jane feeling uncomfortable and extremely exhausted from his ordeal.

Jane offered to walk him home but he declined her offer and told her he'd prefer to be alone.

Please leave me a comment - I'd love to discuss the story with you :) x


	13. Chapter 13

**Jane**

Winter had arrived in Stardew Valley which meant less farm work for Jane, and an opportunity for more excursions in to the mines and she could even upgrade a tool or two.

It had snowed during the night, the ground was covered in a thick layer of white fluff that crunched under foot. After the previous day's events Jane decided to trudge in to town to check on Pelican Town's only doctor. The snow made the town look picturesque, like a scene from a postcard.

When Jane arrived at the clinic she saw Penny standing outside, clutching a cigarette between her fingers. Like mother like daughter.

'Morning Jane,' Penny smiled and took a drag on her cigarette. She flicked the ash, 'I've got an appointment with Dr Harvey this morning but the clinic is closed.'

'What time is it?' Jane asked chewing her bottom lip. As she peered through the window her hot breath fogged up the glass. The waiting room was eerily dark.

'It's ten twenty. Do you think he's okay?' Penny pulled on her cigarette and exhaled a plume of smoke. 'He's usually very punctual.' She tossed the butt on the ground and stubbed it out with the toe of her shoe.

Jane tried the door handle, but of course it was locked. Penny would have already tried it. She couldn't help feel a little anxious, especially after how bad his asthma had been last night.

Jane rapped her knuckles on the door loudly and peered through the glass again. There was no change, no movement. Either something was really wrong or Harvey simply wasn't up to seeing patients today.

Evelyn appeared over Jane's shoulder. 'Ooh, my hip is hurting something rotten this morning. I thought Doc might see me and maybe give me something strong for it.'

'He's not answering,' Jane said, starting to feeling worried. She tried knocking again but there was still no visible movement inside the surgery. Evelyn tried the door handle despite the fact both Jane and Penny had already tried. The older lady shook her head and mumbled something inaudible.

Just then Lewis and Marnie appeared. Jane was too concerned about Harvey to think anything about the fact they had arrived together, and from the direction of Lewis' house. 'Is the Doc not seeing patients today?' Marnie asked rubbing her sore shoulder.

Lewis stuck his nose up against the glass. His grey moustache twitched when he said, 'Hmm... what's he playing at, he should have been open an hour a go!' Jane saw Marnie squeeze the Mayor's fingers to subdue him, and it worked. 'He did look off his game at the Spirit's Eve festival now that I think about it.' Marnie squeezed Lewis' hand again, but in approval instead of to reprimand him.

Evelyn peered through the window. 'There aren't any lights on inside.' Jane wanted to state the obvious, to say they had already surmised that but she didn't want to insult the elderly lady.

Pierre popped his head out of the door to his shop. He was drinking from a large cup. 'What's all the commotion?' he called to no one in particular.

Pierre's wife, Caroline, pushed past her husband. She was dressed in a nightgown and shivered. 'Ohh, it's freezing out here.' She held a dainty teacup in her hands. 'Is it Harvey? Is he unwell?' Pierre put an arm around his wife and pulled her close to him. She looked concerned.

'Doc isn't answering,' Evelyn shouted over to them. 'Have you seen him at all this morning?'

'Oh, that doesn't sound right. Have you tried calling up to his apartment window around the side of the building?' Pierre suggested.

Jane didn't hesitate. She dashed around the side of the building and yelled, 'Harvey! Are you in there?' There was no response. She tried again, suppressing the panic in her voice, 'Harvey! I'm starting to get a bit frightened now. Come to the damn window!'

The top sash window shuddered and slid up with a crack and a screech. Harvey's head appeared. 'What's going on?' he asked, his voice croaky. He looked dishevelled. His eyes were slits and his hair was messy. Jane was so relieved to see him. Thank Yoba!

Are you ok Harvey? Can you come down and open the door?'

She heard him sigh heavily, as if the effort of coming down was too much. 'Hang on, give me a few minutes.' He slid the window back down with a whine and a thud as it returned to its home in the frame.

Jane returned to the other townsfolk at the front of the building. 'He's coming down. He must have been sleeping.'

After a few minutes the florescent lights flickered on in the hallway towards the rear of the building and Jane recognised Harvey's tall shape making his way over to the reception area. He was dressed in his pyjamas and had his dressing gown pulled tightly around his frame with one had. In his other hand he carried a steaming mug of hot coffee. He looked half asleep. She watched him take a sip of coffee and she smiled when the foam stuck to his silly moustache.

When Harvey came to the door his eyes went wide at seeing the crowd of people outside. He glanced up at the wall clock above the reception desk, and Jane saw him mouth the word, 'fuck!' when he must have realised the time. He seemed reluctant to open the door. His hand rested on the lock appearing to contemplate whether or not to turn it. He did, and the latch clicked. He opened the door just wide enough to speak through and rested his forehead against the frame. 'Sorry folks, I'm afraid I'm not up to seeing patients today. I'll get Maru to reschedule.' His voice sounded rough. He noticed Marnie holding her arm and he paused to think for a moment. 'Marnie, if your shoulder is still giving you pain I suggest you have Lewis drive you to the hospital and get it checked out. Without examining you I can't be sure, but I'm guessing you may have an impinged nerve.'

'Thank you Doc, I'll take her there immediately.' Lewis put his arm around Marnie's waist and led her back to his house where his flatbed truck was parked. Harvey went to close the door.

'Harvey! Wait up a second!' Jane put her foot in the doorway preventing him from closing it, and pushed her way in. 'Where's what's-her-face?' she asked. Harvey shivered as a cold gust of wintery air blew in to the clinic.

'Maru?' Harvey asked looking tired. Jane nodded confirming she was referring to Maru. 'She only helps out a few days as week, and today is her day off.' He looked drained, and Jane could hear the high pitched whistle coming from his throat as he exhaled. It was a sound she was becoming accustomed to, and she noticed it didn't seem to bother Harvey.

Jane put her hand to his face and he closed his eyes. 'Are you ok Harvey?' He placed a hand over hers pinning it to his cheek, enjoying the connection. Jane looked back towards the window and noticed the crowd was still out there. She opened the door and reassured everyone that their doctor was just exhausted and needed some rest. After a few moments they dispersed and returned to their homes. Jane turned back to Harvey, 'They really do care about you.'

Harvey blushed but didn't comment. He yawned loudly. 'Sorry! Come on up, I'll make you a drink.' His voice was raspy, and his throat sounded sore.

The smell of the coffee made her stomach churn. 'Could I have a glass of water?' She blew out her breath suppressing the urge to vomit.

'Sure, come on up.' Harvey scratched the back of his neck still looking dozy. He shuffled his slippered feet up the steps to his apartment. 'Take a seat; I'll get you some water. Are you sure you'd rather not have a coffee?' he asked as Jane took a seat on his sofa.

'No, water is fine. Thank you.' She watched him take down a glass from the cupboard and noticed him grimace. He turned on the tap and ran the water. 'Just a small glass please Harvey.'

He handed her the drink and sat down in the armchair opposite her. His legs were stretched out in front of him and his head rested against the cushion. He closed his eyes. For a moment there was silence except for the high pitched whistle Harvey produced from his throat and the sound of Jane sipping her water. She placed her glass down and coughed loudly to clear her throat and also to get his attention. It worked, he opened his green eyes and looked directly at her.

'How are you feeling this morning Harvey?' She sat forward on the edge of the cushion and placed her hand on his knee. She gave it a squeeze to reassure him she cared. She found it amusing how he liked to wear pyjamas. Jane hated pyjamas and preferred to sleep naked.

He took a moment to answer. 'Fine.' He lifted his cup to his lips; his face obscured until he'd taken a drink and set the cup down on the coffee table. She saw him pull a face again and heard him hiss.

'Harvey?' She didn't believe him, she knew something was up.

He leaned his head back again and let his eyes close. 'I've pulled a muscle and it hurts.' He was really lethargic. 'I must have done it last night, don't really remember...'

Jane clicked her fingers at him. 'Hey, snap out of it. Come on Harvey... I think you need to see a doctor.'

'I saw a doctor this morning.'

'You did? When? Did they make a house call because you are still in your Pyjamas...'

'In the bathroom mirror.'

Jane rolled her eyes, suddenly realising how Harvey must feel being on the end of her teasing all the time. 'Har har... hilarious Harvey! Come on... what's your doctor's telephone number?'

Harvey's eyelids looked heavy but she could still see glimpses of green staring out at her. 'There's a letter in my desk drawer downstairs from my doctor.' Harvey groaned as he changed position in the chair. 'Just don't read anything confidential... relating to a patient.'

Jane felt uncomfortable entering Harvey's office without him being present. Her eyes scanned the room. She saw the desk, and the chairs. Her thoughts went to the night when Harvey had drunkenly stitched up the wound on his head. Ouch, his poor head and the sound of the crack sound resonating around the saloon! That was the moment she'd felt something for him, the moment she'd really felt something for him, when he'd made her laugh. He was sweet and quirky, but charming and funny too. She was concerned about his asthma, especially after she'd seen him so bad yesterday. She was no expert but Maru was absolutely useless!

Jane pulled open the top drawer under Harvey's desk and tried to calm her temper down. Just thinking about Maru made her blood boil. She picked up a handful of letters. One by one she peered in to the envelopes to see if anything asthma related jumped out at her. They were mainly junk mail and subscription renewal letters for various aeroplane model companies. Jane shook her head and laughed. Men never grow up! The next envelope Jane opened had the heading, 'Asthma review appointment.' Satisfied she had the right letter she tossed the remaining envelopes back in to the drawer and nudged it closed with her knee. As she went to head back up the stairs, she heard a key in the front door and froze. She knew it could only be Maru. Jane closed her eyes for a moment and counted to ten. Sighed heavily, and then went to the reception to speak to her.

When Maru clapped eyes on Jane her mouth made an 'O' shape. 'Wa... wa... what are you doing here?'

'I could ask you the same thing.' Jane had her hands on her hips, with the letter still grasped been her fingers. 'I came to check on Harvey. That's what I'm doing here!'

'Okay, well... I work here sooo...' Maru shrugged.

'Today is your day off...' Jane frowned. She felt annoyed at the sight of the other woman. She couldn't stand her. Those sparkly eyes behind the geeky glasses gave the impression that she was all sweet an innocent but Jane knew otherwise. Once again Jane felt underdressed in front of Maru, whose make-up was perfect, and whose hair was so sleek and shiny with not one strand out of place. Jane as usual was wearing her overalls, whereas Maru wore a skirt with thick tights and cute little snow boots. Her snow jacket had a large fluffy hood not dissimilar to Bear's thick fur.

'Well, I came to bring Harv his morning coffee.' Maru produced a travel mug from her bag. 'It's his favourite, I always bring him coffee in the morning.' Jane felt a pang of jealousy... she thought she was the only one who brought Harvey coffee. She suddenly didn't feel so special. You sneaky little bitch!

'Look, it's not a good time... I need to ask you to leave.' Jane stepped towards Maru and held her arm out towards to door indicating that that was the way out.

'What is your problem?' Maru snarled and held out her arms.

'Harvey could have died yesterday!' Jane paused for a moment, becoming increasingly irritated by the smirk that had formed on Maru's face.' How did you not notice he was struggling to breathe?'

Maru glanced sideways, ' My brother used to fake asthma attacks all the time when we were kids... I know when someone is attention seeking, duh!' She looked bored with the conversation.

Jane's mouth fell open in shock. She could not believe the crap that spilled from the younger woman's mouth. 'Get out! Leave now!'

Maru shrugged. Jane felt riled up and took a step towards Maru. 'You are crazy! Dr Harvey – are you there?' Maru tried to look past Jane. 'I brought you a coffee!'

'He's upstairs.' Jane controlled her temper. She told herself not to do anything she'd later regret – like throwing Maru out in to the street. It would be such a shame if that fancy jacket got ripped! 'Harvey isn't down here, he's upstairs. Just go home Maru!'

'Okay, well... I'll go up to his room then.' Maru managed to slip past Jane. 'It's not like I haven't been up there before... if you know what I mean.' Maru winked and then grinned, seemingly amused at her own comment. Jane stood there momentarily dazed. Maru had been in Harvey's bedroom...

Jane was surprised at the other woman's boldness. Surely she had to know by now that she and Harvey were seeing one another? 'You need to leave Maru.' Jane pointed towards the door. 'I'm not going to tell you again.'

Maru eyed Jane cautiously and seemed to think better of pushing her further. 'Fine... I'll come back later,' Maru walked to the front door, 'when you aren't here.' She exited the building before Jane could say anything and promptly gave Jane the middle finger.

Jane watched her go, feeling hot and bothered. She looked down at her hand and realised she had scrunched up Harvey's letter. She took a deep breath, remembered what she came down for and then took the stairs up to Harvey's apartment.

**Harvey**

Jane stormed in through the door, walked over to the window and opened it. Icy cold air filled the room and Harvey shivered. He pulled his robe tighter around his body.

'Sorry, I just needed a bit of air.' Jane looked tense, and perhaps a bit angry. 'I found your letter. You should call the number, book an appointment.' Jane put the letter on the table next to Harvey's empty coffee cup.

Harvey nodded, 'I will, I'll ring tomorrow morning.'

'Make sure you do that Harvey!' she returned to the window and closed it, 'can I make you another drink?'

'That would be lovely, I'll have another coffee please.' He tried his best to smile at her, but even his face felt weak. His energy was low from his asthma attack and would be for at least a couple of days, if he was to go by past experience.

Jane took his cup and rinsed it out in the sink. Harvey watched her as she busied herself in his little kitchen. He noticed her grimace when she poured the coffee in to his cup, and wondered why the sudden aversion. She saw him watching her and her expression quickly changed; she smiled at him. She handed him his coffee and sat on the edge of the coffee table with another glass of water. 'Maru was in the clinic. She brought you coffee.'

Harvey adjusted his posture. 'Oh right, is she downstairs?' He felt his pulse speed up and his chest get tight. He placed his cup down and went over to his bedside cabinet to retrieve his inhaler. He took two puffs and after releasing his breath he said, 'I guess I should go down and speak to her and thank her for the coffee.'

'She left.' Jane watched for his reaction. He did his best to keep his face blank. As much as Maru had been stressing him out lately he couldn't help but enjoy the attention she was currently giving him. 'She's persistent.'

Harvey coughed and hissed at the pain in his side. He sat down on the edge of his bed and looked down at his feet. He wondered whether he should tell Jane the truth about Maru, but worried that would ruin things. Harvey liked having Jane in his life.

'She always has been, but more recently she's been different. I almost feel like she's not the same girl I carried from the river that day.'

'Of course she isn't Harvey. She's a grown woman now... a grown woman who obviously has a thing for you.'

Harvey laughed nervously, hoping that was all Jane knew. 'Yeah, that's what Demetrius said the night I umm... beat Alex to a pulp.' He coughed several times and then started wheezing again.

'Come on Harvey... you need some help. I'll phone your doctor and see about getting you that appointment.'

He looked at her with his green eyes, stared for a moment, and then nodded reluctantly. She was right, he needed help.


	14. Chapter 14

**Harvey**

Three days after Jane came to his aid and called his doctor, Harvey was up and about back to his normal routine. It was flu season so he was very busy visiting Pelican Town residents. Jane had booked him an appointment for two weeks time; it was the earliest they could schedule him in. Harvey was relieved at not being seen straight away as it gave him time to attempt some sort of asthma plan, so he didn't look like a complete idiot when his doctor saw him. He knew it looked bad – a doctor who hadn't been managing his own health.

His first call of the day had been to George and Evelyn's home. Evelyn was worried about her husband because he was running a high temperature and was off his food. She took it as a personal insult to anyone who refused her cooking. Evelyn had greeted Harvey at the door and had talked his ear off, updating him on everything that had happened in the last three days. She gave Harvey the details of what George had drunk and how many bowel movements he'd had – information Harvey had not asked for and would rather have not been told. She'd also baked him an apple pie to take with him.

Harvey had popped the ear tips of his stethoscope in to his ears and placed the diaphragm against George's back. 'Breathe in, and release.' Harvey listened, trying to drone out Evelyn's prattling voice. He moved the diaphragm to another location and asked George to breathe in and out once more. 'You're chest sounds fine, there's no infection.'

Whilst Harvey put his stethoscope away Evelyn questioned his findings. 'So he doesn't need any antibiotics?'

Harvey smiled, 'No just some paracetamol and a lot of rest. He has a cold and it will clear up in a week or two.'

George groaned and said, 'I want a second opinion... are you sure I don't need antibiotics?'

Harvey shrugged on his winter jacket and threw his scarf around his neck. He popped the apple pie in to his medical bag. 'George... you are fine. I'm sure Evelyn will fuss over you.' Harvey smiled at the elderly couple, picked up his bag and saw himself out.

It was so cold outside and very slippery in parts. Harvey wore his thick treaded boots and trudged through the snow towards his next appointment. He had just reached for the doorbell when Penny answered the door. 'I'm here to see your mother?' Penny smiled and held the door to the trailer open for him. He stamped his boots on the door mat before entering to loosen off the compacted snow.

As he entered the small space he was met with a thick haze. Pam was sat on the sofa with a lit cigarette in the hand. She blew out a plume of smoke. Penny lit her own cigarette and joined her mother on the sofa. It was too much for Harvey. 'Ladies... would you mind? The smoking it irritates the lining of my lungs.' His breathing became drawn and wheezy, but a dose of his asthma medicine calmed him down.

Penny looked embarrassed. 'Oh, of course sorry Dr Harvey.' She looked at her mother who was still sucking away on her cigarette and said, 'Mother! Put it out!'

Pam stubbed it out in the ashtray. 'It comes to something when a woman can't smoke in her own home!'

'Mother please don't be so rude!' Penny scolded her mother, and Pam did look slightly shamed.

Harvey went red in the face. 'Umm, so what seems to be the problem?' He tried to hold back a cough that was tickling the back of his throat but failed. He coughed several times and thanked Penny when she handed him a glass of ice cold water. He took a long gulp and placed the glass down.

Pam held her bare foot out to Harvey. 'I slipped on the ice trying to clear the path out the front of the trailer. I didn't think anything of it at first but it's painful now.' Harvey wondered how true that story was, and thought a more candid answer was probably that Pam had slipped on the way back from the saloon intoxicated. He lifted her foot in to his lap and carefully manipulated her ankle feeling for any breaks. Pam bit down on her fist to suppress the pain she felt.

'You'll be glad to hear it's not broken, however, it is sprained. You will need to keep your foot raised and keep off it for a few weeks. I'll strap it up for you and give you some strong painkillers.' After Harvey was done treating Pam, Penny showed him to the door. She thanked him and apologised for her mother's brash tongue. He told her not to worry about it, he wasn't offended. The truth was he was used to her as she'd been his receptionist for many years before Maru took over.

After Penny closed the door; Harvey took a moment to look out across at the frozen steam. It looked idyllic. He sighed heavily knowing his next house call was going to be a challenge. Demetrius had telephoned to say Robin, Sebastian, and Maru were all sick with the flu. Harvey pulled his jacket tighter and headed up the mountain trail to their home and knocked on the front door. Whilst he waited for someone to answer the door he noticed Linus, the homeless guy, mooching about in the bushes. Harvey wondered if the poor man would get a warm meal during the winter season. The door opened, interrupting his thoughts, and Demetrius gave him a warm welcome.

'So glad you could come Doc,' Demetrius said and offered his hand to Harvey who shook it, 'I'm absolutely run off my feet with the whole family being sick.'

'It's no bother. It's actually nice to be busy, if that doesn't sound... bad?' Harvey unzipped his coat and hung it up on the coat stand beside the front door. His scarf felt to the floor but Demetrius picked it up and hung it over Harvey's coat.

'I totally get where you're coming from. We all need to earn a living. Can I get you a hot drink?'

Harvey politely declined and said, 'So where's my first patient?'

'Everyone is in bed, Robin got up for a couple of hours but I tucked her back up because she was trying to finish a woodworking order for the farmer and she looked dead on her feet. This way, I'll how you to the bedroom.'

Demetrius pushed open the bedroom door. Harvey tried not to look around as he felt it was an invasion of their privacy. He noticed a small stool tucked under a computer desk and dragged it over to the bed. He took a seat and spoke to Robin. 'Robin, it's Dr Harvey. How are you feeling?'

'Every bone in my body feels sore and achy and I feel so weak.' She looked pale and sweaty; her hair was matted against her face. 'I'm also very tired.'

'I'm just going to take your temperature. Harvey extracted a forehead thermometer from his bag and aimed it at Robin's clammy brow. The handheld device made a beep noise indicating it had taken a reading. Harvey pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at the numbers displayed on the small LED window. 'That's high. You've definitely got a fever.' He noticed her lips looked dry and chapped. He glanced up at Demetrius who was standing quietly next to the bed, and then spoke to Robin. 'You need to ensure you drink plenty of fluid and take paracetomol which will help bring the fever down. Other than that you need to rest.' Robin thanked Harvey and then the men left her to rest.

Demetrius closed the door behind them and led Harvey down the hall to Maru's bedroom and knocked on the door. Harvey felt very anxious and thought perhaps he should come clean with Demetrius about his recent interactions with the other man's daughter.

'Maru – the Doc is here to see you. Can we come in?' They waited for her to answer.

'Uhhh... give me a second Dad!' There was the sound of footsteps running back and forth across the room behind the door. 'Ok, ok... I guess you can come in now.'

Demetrius stepped in to the room and Harvey reluctantly followed behind keeping his gaze low towards the carpet. He noticed there were clothes piled up under the bed, dirty washing perhaps? His bag hung in his hand at his side. He opened his mouth to speak but the words wouldn't come at first. 'Uh... uhh... you're dad told me you haven't been feeling well?' Harvey stated feeling quite flustered.

Maru was in bed and had the covers pulled up to her chin. She eyed Harvey cautiously. 'I was feeling awful yesterday but I'm actually feeling much better.'

Harvey put on his doctor's smile. 'You do seem much brighter than your mom, so you are most likely over the worst of it.' He glanced sideways at Demetrius as if to get his permission which he didn't actually require since Maru was twenty five and an adult. 'Um, I'll still check your over if you are okay with that?'

There was a loud crash that came from somewhere in the house which made them all jump. Demetrius looked annoyed. 'What the hell is that boy up to now!'

Harvey felt worried, 'Is everything ok? That was quite a crash.'

'It's gonna be Seb... he has a temper. He's definitely his father's son! I'll be right back.' He stormed out of the room to confront his stepson.

Harvey watched him leave, and then turned back to face Maru. He did a double take. She was sitting up cross-legged on the bed with her breasts clutched in her hands like she was at a farmer's market trying to tempt him with her juicy apples. He gulped and dropped his bag.

Maru's mouth formed in to a grin. 'Do you need to listen to my chest Dr Harvey?' She stuck her tongue out and teasingly moistened her lips. He felt himself grow slightly hard. 'Or perhaps you want to take my temperature... vaginally.' She had whispered the word, 'vaginally,' in an attempt to sound sexy. Whilst Harvey was turned on, it didn't exactly take much for him to get turned on lately, he was also horrified!

He scooped up his bag clumsily, looking rather red in the face. 'Maru are you crazy? You're dad is down the hall!' Harvey felt his anxiety levels rising. He averted his gaze but couldn't do anything about the obvious bulge in his pants. 'Please cover yourself up!'

'You saw more than my breasts that night... don't be such a prig!' She walked over to him wearing only her purple satin pyjama bottoms and grabbed him through his pants. 'Come on, I want you just as much as you want me!' Harvey groaned and leaned in towards her, close enough for her to bite his bottom lip.

Harvey removed her hand forcibly and turned his back to her, his head down and his shoulders slumped. He sighed. 'We are done here!' He put his hand on the handle to leave when she said-

'-I love you!' With a quick movement of her hands she slipped her pyjama bottoms off which fell to the floor around her ankles. She stepped out of them and pressed her body against his. She was completely naked. His manhood was fully erect and he had to fight the urge to carry her over to the bed and give her his seed. Her words shocked him. No one had ever said those words to him, apart from his mother and perhaps his father. It wasn't right though, he didn't love her back.

He turned to face her and quickly averted his gaze. He put his hand in front of his eyes blocking out her curvaceous body, her smooth and flawless bronzy skin. Her neatly trimmed pubic hair looked soft and under different circumstances he would have not hesitated to stroke it. His breath caught and he stammered, 'Mar... rr... ruu, have some decency and cover yourself up!'

'You want me. You know you do!' Tears began to run down her face. 'The way you kissed me... the way you-'

'-Stop it now! I told you... I don't want you!' He gritted his teeth. 'You need to understand that! I do not love you!'

Harvey turned back towards the door, pressed the handle down and left Maru's bedroom. He needed to leave. He couldn't handle her shit anymore; he would speak to Lewis before things got out of hand. Aren't things already out of hand? He shook his head in frustration. As he was marching down the hallway he saw Maru's father coming towards him.

'Sorry about that Doc, Seb was throwing a tantrum because of some video game thing... Oh, you are you finished with Maru already? How is she?' Demetrius looked at the door to Maru's room that wasn't fully closed, the light from the bedroom poured in to the dimly lit hallway. They could both hear Maru sobbing. Harvey couldn't look him in the eye; he didn't know what to say. 'Has something happened? Is Maru ok?'

His chest felt tight. Harvey inhaled two doses of his asthma medicine before saying, 'Sorry – got to go!' Harvey turned his body sideways and slipped past the other man. 'Plenty of fluids for everyone, and lots of rest!'

'Maru, are you ok honey?' Demetrius called to his daughter whilst keeping an eye on Harvey. He had a puzzled look on his face. 'Doc... hold up a second!'

'I should really be going!' Harvey shrugged his shoulders as he backed away down the hall.

Demetrius disappeared out of view as he entered his daughter's bedroom.

Harvey took his coat down from the coat stand and threw it around his shoulders. As he slipped his arms in to the sleeves he thought about the predicament he was in and stared at a spot on the floor. He'd gone in to a daze, his mind whirring away. He soon snapped out if it when he heard his name being called loudly. He was in the middle of doing his zip up when Demetrius entered the reception area of the carpenter's workshop. There was a look of seriousness to the man's face; his usually friendly smile was missing. Harvey still couldn't look at him; instead he continued to prepare himself for the cold weather outside. He picked up his scarf that had fallen to the floor, shook it out, and then flung it around his neck.

Tucking his scarf down in to the collar of his coat he finally mustered up the courage and looked at Demetrius. 'Ask her to tell you the truth.' Harvey picked up his leather medical bag and let his arms hang at his sides. His shoulders dropped. He felt worn out. 'If there is any chance that we are still friends as I hope we are, then please give me the benefit of the doubt. Ask her for the truth.' The other man said nothing, and as Harvey stepped out in to the cold he both felt and heard the door slam shut behind him.

He wheezed and coughed as the cold air entered his airways. His mind was racing, and the idea of ruining the friendship he had with Demetrius made him want to kick himself. What was wrong with that woman and why was she doing it to him? He now regretted kissing her. He regretted everything. He had truly messed up.

'Come and have a warm by my fire,' a old voice called to him.

Harvey shook his head, 'Not today buddy, it's not a good time.' Harvey breathed in another dose from his inhaler and closed his eyes. What a mess!

He felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. 'I think now is actually a good time,'

Harvey gave up. 'Fine, lead the way Linus.' He followed Linus up to the tent and took a seat on a box by the fire. He rubbed his hands together and held them in front of the flames. His fingers thanked him. It was bitterly cold, and Harvey wondered how Linus could bear being outdoors in such conditions.

Linus passed him a chipped tin mug. Harvey peered in to it and when he saw the hot black coffee he didn't hesitate bringing it to his lips. He took a sip and closed his eyes. It was surprisingly good coffee and for a moment nothing else mattered.

'It's good isn't it?' Linus said and took a sip from his own cup. 'It's my secret recipe.' He saw Harvey's eyes widen. 'Oh, no no no there's no illegal substances... just things I've foraged.

Harvey relaxed and took another sip. 'I should really be going. Thanks for the coffee, I appreciate it.

'Sit!' Linus poured more coffee in to Harvey's mug. 'People may not notice me, but I notice them. I saw you will that girl... the carpenter's daughter.'

'Great... look, I don't need a lecture.' Harvey frowned.

'I was looking through the trash for food, when I saw you two together. Don't break the farmer's heart; she cares an awful lot for you. She brings me food most days and she talks, she's one of the only ones who takes the time to speak to me. Harvey suddenly felt really awful and needed to speak to Jane. Linus lifted his coffee pot, offering Harvey more.

Harvey shook his head and then waved his hand towards the tent. 'You've got a tear in the material.' It was more of a slash than a tear. The broken threads were blowing in the wind.

Linus didn't need to look, 'Yeah, it happened last night. I guess living so close to the mines has its risks... there are a lot dangerous creature in there. Sometimes one of 'em decides to come up to the surface. Marlon normally takes care of them, so I was surprised the creature managed to get so close to the village.'

Harvey put his empty cup down by his foot. 'Have you seen Marlon this morning?'

Linus scratched his shaggy head. 'Not today, but that's not unusual. He doesn't open his guild until late in the afternoon.' He pulled a handful of berries from his pocket and offered one to Harvey.

'No thank you. Perhaps I should go and check on Marlon.' Harvey gave Linus a salute and headed for the Adventurer's Guild. 'Thanks for the coffee and the chat I guess.'

Harvey tried the handle but the door was locked so he knocked firmly with his knuckles. He looked out at the frozen river and shivered at the thought of how cold the water beneath it must be. He also thought about Maru standing there naked in her bedroom, and her declaration of love for him. There was no answer. He lifted his sleeve and look at his wristwatch, it was after two so the Guild should have been open for business. Harvey wasn't a member but he had been inside the Adventurer's Guild before. He waited another few minutes and then hammered his fist on the door. He heard movement, a thud and then a groan.

'Alright! I heard you the first time!' A voice boomed from within the building. Harvey took a step back feeling a little apprehensive from the tone in the man's voice. The deadbolt clunked and then squealed as it was dragged across the back of the door. The huge wooden door cracked open revealing a grey-haired man with an eye patch and a grizzly face. 'What do you want? Oh, Doc... sorry!' His voice was gravelly and his demeanour gruff.

Harvey stepped over the threshold as Marlon held the door open for him. The room was dark and the only light came from the room behind the shop counter. 'Linus mentioned there was an escapee from the mines last night?' Marlon stretched and then rubbed his back. Harvey watched the old scars on the man's face crease as he grimaced.

'Come on back Doc. You'll probably want to see my leg.'

'You were injured?' Harvey frowned, 'Why didn't you come to the clinic first thing this morning?' He followed Marlon in to what appeared to be his bedroom. The other man plonked himself down on the bed and rolled up his pant leg. 'Oh! Wow, that's... how are you able to walk on that?!' Harvey grimaced at the sight of the wound. Green gunk oozed out of the gaping hole in Marlon's leg.

Marlon laughed and waved off Harvey's question. 'I've had worse. This is just a scratch, but it does hurt... I won't deny that!' He gritted his teeth. 'The bottle of whiskey I drank numbed it last night.'

Harvey dropped his medical bag to the floor. 'I'm not going to sugar coat it Marlon, it's bad. I need to get you to the clinic so I can operate. Do you think you can walk?'

Marlon shook his head. 'I can hobble about here, but the clinic is a fair walk and these old bones aren't what they used to be.'

'I understand. I'll get some help. You just sit right there and wait for me to get back.' Harvey left his bag at the guild and begrudgingly returned to the Carpenter's Workshop. He rapped his knuckles on the door and called Demetrius' name.

The door swung inwards and Harvey was met with a scowl. 'Have you been standing there all this time? She's heartbroken Harvey. I don't know what's going on, she's refusing to talk to me. If I were a violent man I would punch you! But I'm not, so I'm just going to shut the door in your face instead!'

Harvey stuck his boot in the gap between the door and the frame stopping it from closing. He ignored the monologue Demetrius had given him and got straight to the point of why he had come knocking. 'Marlon has been hurt. I need help getting him to the clinic. Can I count on you?'

Demetrius seemed to think about it for a second. 'When have I ever let you down Harvey?' he said as he grabbed his jacket. 'Where is he?'

Together Harvey and Demetrius helped Marlon get to the Clinic. They each took and arm and lifted him on to their shoulders. Marlon was a large man himself and even though Harvey and Demetrius were strong men they both puffed and panted under his weight.

'Let me open the door, can you take his weight?' Harvey asked Demetrius but didn't give him a choice as he let go of Marlon's arm and unlocked the door. He held it open for them to enter. 'Take him through to the back.' Harvey felt exhausted but followed them through the clinic to.

Demetrius sat Marlon down on a chair and collapsed in to one himself. He was just as exhausted as Harvey. All three men looked worn out. 'Just give me a moment and I'll get going.' Demetrius said looking at Harvey under heavy eyelids.

'I appreciate your help. Take all the time you need. I'm going to go and prep the surgery room.'

'Harvey wait...' Demetrius leaned forward in the chair and put his head in his hands, 'I will give you the benefit of the doubt. I'll talk to Maru when she stops crying but for the moment I'm obligated to feel protective towards my daughter.'

'Whatever you feel you have to do, I've got to take care of this now.' He thumbed behind him indicated he had to get ready for surgery. Demetrius nodded and left Harvey alone with Marlon. 'Marlon I'll get you a gown, but in the meantime you can take your clothes off behind that curtain.'

Marlon looked apprehensive but got up and wandered over to the curtain. He stopped still with the curtain material grasped in his hand, 'Doc, am I gonna lose my leg?' He genuinely looked worried.

'You most likely would have if you'd left it another day.' Harvey saw the older man's expression change and rethought his comment. 'You'll be fine. I'm just going to clean the wound and repair the tissue damage. You will be on crutches for a while but you're leg's going to heal.'

Marlon exhaled a sigh of relief. 'Thank you Doc, you're a good man.'


	15. Chapter 15

**Jane**

Bear ran ahead of her and dashed about playfully in the snow. Jane laughed at the dog, and felt a little guilty for using her as pack mule. Strapped across the dogs back was a satchel with various rocks and minerals Jane had dug up in the mines. Bear didn't seem to mind but it didn't stop Jane feeling a little bit mean for taking advantage of her trusted companion's strength.

Jane clicked her tongue, bringing the dog to heel, a command the dog had learned quickly. Bear was indeed a very clever dog and was adjusting to having an owner just as Jane was getting used to having a pet. The dog seemed quite happy to have a regular supply of food and love, not necessarily in that order. Although Jane was used to living alone in her little farmhouse she felt much safer knowing her dog would alert her if any undesirable people, or creatures for that matter, trespassed on her land.

She had only opened the door to the museum a little when Bear squeezed her large head through the gap and bolted towards Gunther, the museum's curator. 'Woah! No giant dogs in my museum!' His usually quiet voice sounded like rumbling thunder. Jane embarrassedly grabbed Bear by the collar took her outside where she tied her up. When she returned to the front desk inside the museum she found Gunther wiping slobber off his cheek with his handkerchief.

Jane felt her cheeks get warm. 'I'm so sorry Gunther, I didn't think!' She offered him an awkward smile.

He chuckled. 'It's ok, there was no damage done. Just please remember my museum is a sanctuary, a place to read, to admire artefacts, and to acquire knowledge.' He returned his handkerchief to his pocket and asked what goodies Jane had bought for him to examine. He seemed rather excited.

Jane lifted two satchels on to the counter with a thud and another thud, the one she had lugged around and the one her dog had carried on her back. Jane giggled as Gunther's eyes went wide and flicked from each specimen to the next. 'I know half of it's going to be junk, but there must be something of value amongst the rocks... surely?'

Gunther sifted through the pile, the stones clicked and clacked against one another as he looked for anything of interest. 'This one,' he held it in front of his face, 'is something of value.' He tossed it to her. 'Do you feel the weight?'

Jane nodded. 'Yeah, no wonder my back hurts. What is it?' She looked from the stone to Gunther who was stroking his pointy goatee with his thumb and forefinger.

'It's a Prismatic Shard, and from the weight... I'd say it's about two pounds.'

'Oh wow, so it's a good find?' She turned the stone in her hands and saw a rainbow pattern emerge from a crack in the outer shell of the muddy rock.

Gunther held out his hand, his white glove dirty from holding the muddy rock. 'I'll take it off your hands and add it to my... um to the museum's collection.' He smiled nervously.

Jane pulled her hand away. 'Umm... I think I'll keep it for a while. I need a few renovations on the house and if the Mayor can give me a good price for it, I might even be able to add another bedroom.'

'Very well Miss Farmer, as you wish. The rest is... just average and of no interest to me. You'll get some coin for it, no doubt.' Gunther tipped his hat at Jane, 'Have a nice day, and come back when you have more things to donate.'

Jane gathered her rocks and filled her bags. She apologised for the mess she left on the counter as Gunther took out a spray bottle of cleaning product and began disinfecting it. Once outside she untied Bear's leash and let her once again run loose. The dog was excited to see Jane and whined loudly as if to say, 'Where were you? Why did you take so long?' Jane rubbed the dog's head and clicked her tongue once again. The dog followed at her heels over the bridge and past the Mayor's house. The snow really did make the town look beautiful. As if reading Jane's mind, the dog decided to spoil the picturesque-ness. Bear squatted and left a puddle of yellow in the paper-white fluff. Jane looked around embarrassed but luckily there was no one about to see. 'Well, I guess when you've got to go... you've got to go.' Bear flicked the snow backwards as she wiped her back paws clean. 'Come on, let's go and see Harvey.' Bear barked twice and trotted alongside Jane.

The sign on the clinic door read 'CLOSED.' Jane peered through the glass whilst Bear rubbed up against her leg to itch a scratch. The lights were on in the reception so she figured Harvey must be in there. She knocked on the glass, still peering in. She saw Harvey's head pop out around a corner. When he realised it was her he came to the door.

Harvey was wearing a white lab coat. He unlocked the door and shivered as the cold wintery air blew in to the building. Both Jane and Bear stepped over the threshold and shook off the snow. Harvey made a face, so Jane asked, 'Is it ok to bring Bear in?' The dog looked up at Harvey with big sad eyes.

He nodded, but gave the dog a stern look. 'Of course, it's fine... as long as she doesn't destroy the place.' Bear lay down obediently as if she understood his words. He glanced from the dog to Jane who was grinning. He leaned in and kissed her tenderly on the lips. He tasted of coffee, and looked exhausted. There were dark circles around his eyes. He nuzzled his face in to her neck and held her. 'It was a long night, I haven't been to bed.'

Jane pushed her hands against his shoulders to make space between them. 'What happened? Are you ok Harvey, have you taken your inhaler?' She looked in to his eyes to find the truth.

Harvey shook his head and let out a quiet laugh. 'No, it's not that. It's not me, I'm fine.' Jane frowned; she knew that wasn't completely true. Seeing him unable to breathe on the night of the Spirit's Eve festival had really worried her, so she had made a mental note to keep her eye on him. 'I performed surgery on a patient, and being the only one here I've been absolutely run off my feet.'

Jane cupped his face with her hand feeling the light stubble on his cheek. 'Oh you poor thing, is there anything I can help you with?' she asked checking him over. He laughed and kissed her again.

'You are so kind, and so very beautiful Jane,' he said as his hands moved to her backside. He lifted her up and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. Pushing her back against the reception desk, his lips returned to hers.

Jane giggled and looked towards the window that had a full view of the town. 'Harvey, what are you doing?'

He smiled at her, placing his forehead against hers. 'Isn't it obvious? I'm going to take you upstairs and make lov-'

'-DOC? Doctor Harvey? Are you there?' an anxious but gruff voice called from hospital part of clinic. Harvey glanced sideways and frowned disappointedly. His pouty bottom lip made Jane giggle again. 'Hello? Doc?'

Jane kissed him on the cheek and whispered in to his ear, 'Go on... go see to your patient. I'll wait here, and...,' she walked her fingers down his shirt, 'Maybe later if you stop pouting I'll show you my sexy new underwear.' She felt her face heat up from embarrassment but it worked, Harvey's mouth formed in to a huge grin.

'I'll be right there Marlon,' Harvey shouted back over his shoulder, unable to take his eyes off Jane.

'Red and lacey.' Jane whispered in to his ear, blowing his hair a little. 'She nipped his ear gently.' He groaned and squeezed her backside, pulling her closer to his erection. He pressed in to her, clearly wanting her to feel it.

'Oh Yoba! Don't go anywhere! I will be right back!' He set Jane back down on her feet and went to check on his patient, with one final glance her way before he pushed the door open to hospital ward.

**Harvey**

They lay cuddling on his small bed, their clothes scattered about his tiny apartment. From the bed he could see his white lab coat slung over the back on the sofa, Jane's overalls crumpled in a pile on the floor, and their shoes kicked off by the door. Harvey was on his back with Jane's thigh across his groin. Her head rested on his chest. When she spoke her lips tickled his nipple and he gasped. Sex with Jane was always fantastic.

After checking on Marlon he was happy to send the man home, albeit on crutches. He had offered to walk him back to the Adventurer's Guild but Marlon said he'd call his friend Gil who would meet him at the Stardrop Saloon. Harvey had told him to go easy on the drink, especially after his surgery and the medication he had sent him off with. Harvey couldn't have locked the door quickly enough. He had double checked the, 'CLOSED,' sign was still showing and had then taken Jane's hand in his and pulled her up the stairs to his apartment. One last glance at the dog who was snoozing, and Harvey's attention returned to Jane and thoughts of sex.

As he lay still breathing heavily from making love, he played with a curl of Jane's hair. He brought up it to his nose, and her shampoo filled his nostrils. It was one of his favourite smells and he hoped she'd never change it.

'So... what did you think of my new underwear?' She smiled and blew her hot breath across his winced from the sensation, the tingle. 'They are very sexy, and... you should wear them all the time!'

'All the time... like never take them off or wash them... and let them get all crusty?' She laughed. He frowned. She was teasing him again. 'I've heard about men like you... men who like to sniff dirty knickers.'

He sighed. 'You know exactly what I meh... en't.' His words caught as he felt her small hand close around his thickness. She looked directly in to his eyes, with a mischievous look in hers. His mind clouded as she stroked him. 'Jane...' She watched his face as he enjoyed her touch, her fingers squeezed him and her hand tugged him.

'Does it feel good Harvey?' she asked and he could only nod. Jane smiled and planted a kiss on his chest, and then his stomach. She moved her lips to his navel and ducked her head under the cover. Harvey's breath caught in his throat and he gasped when her hand was replaced with her mouth. He pulled the cover off her in surprise.

'Jane, you doh... don't... don't have to do this! Oh Yoba, but please do that again!' He felt her tongue move around the head of his manhood teasingly and then she pulled him in to her mouth and began to suck. It felt wonderful, and he'd never experienced that with her before. Harvey pressed his head back in to the pillow, grabbing handfuls of bed sheet as she pleasured him. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to find someone like Jane. His hand reached down and stroked her hair, enjoying the moment and then he called to her. 'Jane, come here...' he spoke between groans of enjoyment. 'Jane, let's... let's do this together.'

'Okay Harvey.' Jane's face appeared from beneath the covers, all hot with swollen lips. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Harvey pulled her up the bed and pressed his lips against her. 'Do you want to try something different?' she asked and he nodded without even asking what she was suggesting. She turned on her side, and when he realised what she was doing, he did the same so he was spooning her. He put his hands around her waist and slid them down her thighs. His fingers on his right hand found her delicate folds and began to rub her gently. She made a sound indicating she was enjoying it. He kissed her shoulder and listened to her moan as he touched her.

'Am I doing it right?' he asked nervously. He adjusted his position on the bed. With his free hand he held himself and nudged his way inside her. They both groaned as he entered her and he quickly began to move his hips. She pushed in to his lap allowing him to thrust in deeper.

Jane's hand reached down between her legs and readjusted his fingers. 'Just helping you to find the right spot'.

He nodded although she clearly couldn't see him. His thrusts became quicker and more urgent. His body shuddered and he pressed in to her firmly as he released his seed in to her for the second time. He uttered a groan, and Jane's own orgasm followed as her muscles clenched around him. She cried out and then leaned in to him. After he slipped out of her he turned her round to face him. He looked in to her eyes and once he had caught his breath he said, 'I love you.'

Jane's eyes went wide. 'Wa... waa... what did you just say?' She bit her bottom lip and stared at him as if she couldn't believe what she had just heard.

He reached for his inhaler. He wheezed. He inhaled. He exhaled. 'I said I love you.' He breathed in another dose from his inhaler and some of the gas escaped his mouth as he laughed when he saw her expression. 'I. Love. You. Jane!'

Jane didn't say another word. Her lips found his and she kissed him passionately. It didn't matter to him that she hadn't said it back. He didn't say it so she would say it too. He said it because it was the way he felt about her. He loved her.

The kiss was interrupted by a bark, and then a woof woof. Jane pulled away and looked towards the door. She giggled. 'Oh shit! I forgot about the dog!' The was a loud crash and the sound of metal clanging downstairs.

'Oh! No... my clinic! Please please please Yoba, don't let the dog have destroyed it!' Harvey jumped up from the bed and dashed out of his apartment but quickly returned when he remembered he wasn't wearing any clothes. 'Oops!' He felt like such an idiot. Jane laughed hysterically as he hopped about on one foot trying to pull his underwear back on. 'It's not funny!'

She stood up off the bed and slipped her arms around him. 'Calm down Harvey. You said you love me didn't you?'

He looked over his shoulder the angle made it difficult to see her face. 'Yes, but what does that have to do with the dog?'

'Well... I come with baggage so loving me means you also... love Bear too!'

'Umm... I'm not sure about that.' His foot found the right leg hole and he was able to regain his balance. He pulled his underpants up. She let go of him and went to pull on her own clothes. He glanced across at her, relieved that she'd not run screaming at the word, 'love.' He was so lucky. She was so beautiful, and he could stare at her slender figure all day. There was another sound from down in the clinic.

Jane grabbed her boots and made for the door. 'I'll go down and round up the dog whilst you finish getting dressed.' He nodded and pulled on his chinos. Jane slipped through the door with her boots in her hand.

By the time Harvey had come down to the clinic Jane had Bear gripped firmly by the leash. The dog was obediently waiting for her to leave, sitting on the floor besides her feet. He glanced around the room, wonder what chaos the dog had caused. He looked towards the hospital ward and made to move when Jane grabbed his wrist. 'I'm sorry...' Harvey's eyes went wide. He pulled his wrist free and pushed open the double doors.

'What the actual fuck?!' he exclaimed when he saw the mess. Two hospital beds were tipped up, and were lying on their sides. All of the Intravenous poles, that you hooked the IV bags on to, had been knocked over, and he was pretty sure the bedside cabinets had also moved from their usual locations. The dog was indeed a mischievous chaos bringer.

Harvey investigated the torn up pillows and ripped mattresses and clenched his jaw. 'The dog needs to leave. Now!' he yelled without looking back at her. 'I will be sending you the bill Jane, this is just unacceptable.'

'Come on, Harvey... calm down. Of course I will pay you for the damage-'

'-Do not tell me to CALM DOWN!' he cut in. His fists clenched at his side. He was so mad, and so upset at seeing his hard work destroyed. But then he realised what he'd done. His shoulders slumped and he instantly regretted raising his voice at her. He turned around to apologise but she had already gone. He saw the door close behind her and the way she stormed off in to the street. He thought about chasing after her but he didn't. Instead he kicked the battered trash can and added another dent to it. He watched Jane's shape disappear out of view so he stepped out in to the street and shivered at the cold air that blew through his shirt. He caught sight of her again and stood there with the deep snow around his work shoes, the moisture soaking in to his socks, until she was completely gone. As he turned to go back in doors he saw Alex glaring at him. The younger man was shovelling snow to clear a path outside of his grandparent's home, but had stopped when he saw Harvey. The look in his eyes unnerved Harvey so he quickly went back inside and locked the door.


	16. Chapter 16

**Jane**

Jane felt incredibly guilty about leaving Harvey to deal with the destruction her dog had caused. She had known from the moment she had peered through the double doors in to the hospital wing that Harvey was going to go berserk when he saw it for himself. It was absolute chaos; beds were tipped over and bedding was torn up.

The damage was done, she had apologised and offered to pay for it. Harvey had yelled which was completely understandable considering the havoc the dog had wreaked. She had thought it best to remove Bear and herself from the situation. Harvey needed space to scream some more and to calm down. She'd heard him calling to her, but chose to ignore him and got a swift move on. Bear, on the other hand, stopped to see what Harvey wanted but quickly lost interest when Jane clicked her tongue – calling her to heal.

As she walked home she couldn't help but worry about him, and wondered if he was fully recovered from his asthma attack. She didn't know much about the condition but she had noticed he seemed more stressed than usual. He also seemed tired, but she imagined that came with the job of being the town's only doctor.

When she got home she couldn't wait to kick off her boots and take a long steamy shower. Bear was sitting near one of the low cupboards in the kitchen. She whined incessantly and scratched at the door. 'Alright alright, quieten down! You want feeding?' Jane ruffled the fur on Bear's giant head and grabbed the bag of dog food from the cupboard. She tipped a generous amount in to the bowl and tried to seal the bag closed when Bear barged past her to get to the bowl. 'Heyyy! I think I should send you to obedience school.' She laughed and returned the food to the cupboard. She stripped her clothes off as she watched the dog munch away at the food, leaving a messy pile of biscuits at either side of the bowl. Jane was sure Bear would find them and hoover them up. She left the dog to eat her dinner and went to get cleaned up.

The water was a little too hot against Jane's bare skin so she adjusted the temperature until it was at a comfortable level. The spray from the shower head massaged and soothed her body. She let the water flow over her face and hair, and then squirted some of her fruity shampoo in to her palm. She massaged it in to her red locks and leaned her head back, allowing the bubbles to flow with the water down her back. The suds swirled around the drain at the base of the shower cubicle.

She squeezed some shower gel on to a wash cloth. The gel smelt like coconut, and she smiled at a memory of Harvey using it in the shower after they'd made love one lazy afternoon. He had commented on the aroma and had even asked her where she'd purchased it. She had giggled at him as he tried to explain what some of the scientific names on the back of the bottle meant; she had called him a geek and wiped bubbles across his spectacles. She had then screamed in both excitement and panic when he chased her through the farmhouse. That moment had lead to another romp on her bed.

After soaking it under the shower she ran the warm cloth down each arm, washing away the days grime, and watched the shower cream turn in to foam. She soaped her underarms and felt bristly stubble, she needed to shave but she'd do it in the morning. She moved the cloth across her chest and down to her abdomen, washing away all trace of Harvey's scent from their earlier love making session. She was suddenly lost in thought again, thinking about the words he'd said; I love you. Why didn't I say it back? He had told her he loved her and from the look in his eyes she knew he really did. She should have said it back, but she'd given her heart away before and had it been broken. She didn't want that to happen again.

She was mindlessly rubbing circles around her belly, thinking about him, and stopped when she realised she'd worked up quite lather. She decided she would pop by the clinic later and offer to buy him dinner and a beer if he forgave her, which she was certain he would. She laughed, she knew she shouldn't find it funny but couldn't help being amused by the way he had reacted to the scene in the hospital ward. She was terrible... always laughing at things that shouldn't be funny.

She rinsed away the soap and turned off the shower. With her hands, she gripped her hair and wrung out the remaining water. The cotton bath sheet she wrapped around her body felt so soft against her skin. She leaned forward so her hair fell in front of her face and wrapped another equally fluffy towel around her locks tightly. When she went in to her living room, Bear was snoozing by the fireplace. She smiled at the dog. You have no idea the trouble you caused today.

Jane spent the rest of the afternoon pottering about on her farm. She crunched through the snow in her heavy boots and checked on the chickens. The four hens were huddled next to the radiator for warmth. They clucked as she petted them and didn't seem bothered when she collected their eggs. She popped them in to her basket and left the chickens to snooze. After taking the eggs indoors, she came back outside and decided to see if the trees inside the greenhouse bore any fruit. Perhaps some freshly picked oranges with be her peace offering.

She pushed the door to the clinic open and heard a familiar voice shout, 'Sorry, I'm closed. I have just been too busy to change the sign.' Jane snickered and closed the door behind her. She carried her basket in the crook of her arm. She saw a light coming from Harvey's office so went to find him. He jumped when he saw her. 'Oh it's you!' He was sitting at his desk typing up some notes on his computer and hadn't seen her come in.

Jane giggled. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I thought I'd come to check how you were doing... after this morning. I also brought these,' she held out the basket of fruit to him, 'as a way of saying I sorry. The oranges are very juicy.' She smiled hoping he'd smile back which he did.

Harvey took the basket and looked over the fruit. He selected an orange and brought it up to his nose. He closed his eyes as he breathed in the smell of the peel. He beamed at her, 'Thank you! You didn't have to bring me food.' He placed the basket down on his desk and held his hand out to her.

She took his hand in hers and rubbed her thumb across his knuckles. 'I thought if you'd let me... I'd buy you dinner and maybe a drink at the saloon.' She blushed, feeling a little shy. She kissed him on the cheek.

He smiled back. 'You know, I should really apologise for how I spoke to you. I'm sorry – it was not very gentlemanly of me. How about, I buy the dinner at the saloon but then I get to have my dessert here.' He grinned at her. She laughed and quickly covered her mouth when she snorted. She looked horrified but they both fell about laughing.

Harvey pulled her on to his lap and kissed her sweetly. Jane bit his lip teasingly and smiled as she kissed him back. 'Maybe you can have your dessert before the main course.' She kissed him again, and made a, 'woah,' sound when Harvey lifted her up and placed her on to his desk.

'I've got quite the sweet tooth at the moment,' he laughed as he kissed her neck and fumbled for the buttons on her jeans. 'Uhh... some help please?' he groaned when he couldn't release the button.

Jane laughed as she undid her jeans pulled them down from under her backside. She kicked off her boots one at a time, and without needing to ask Harvey pulled her jeans down her legs and over her feet, dropping them on the floor. Her hands went to Harvey's chinos and undid his zip. She reached in to his underwear and grasped his manhood, tugging it gently, teasing him. He groaned and leaned in to her neck when he nipped her shoulder. He leaned down and planted kissed along the inside of her thighs until he found her underwear. He hooked his thumbs over her black lacey knickers and pulled them down her thighs with one quick movement, discarding them on to the floor with her jeans. Jane grabbed his necktie and pulled him towards her. Her mouth found his again and they kissed passionately, their lips mashing together.

Standing between her thighs Harvey pressed inside her and made her groan. Jane hugged him closely as he gripped her backside and moved inside her. He thrust deeply, causing the desk to shudder beneath her. Some paperwork slipped out of his in tray and he caught it and clumsily shoved it back in. She couldn't help but laugh as the desk moved an inch across the floor. 'Stop laughing, it's putting me off!' The desk moved again and he started laughing.

The desk legs scraped against the floor tiles and screeched loudly and his pot of pens tipped over. Several biros rolled off the desk on to the tiles. 'I didn't know I was coming over to help you reorganise your furniture,' she tried to stifle her laugh but couldn't. Her laughter echoed around the small room.

He couldn't help but laugh, and then looked down and frowned disappointedly. 'Well, we may as well go and get some dinner.'

Jane messed up his hair and kissed his nose. 'I'm sorry... we'll pick it back up later.' He watched her for a moment, looking deeply in to her eyes and nodded. 'Come on, pass me my clothes.'

They ordered a large pepperoni pizza and some garlic bread to share. Jane took a slice off the wooden serving board and cautiously asked about the situation with Maru. She watched Harvey and saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed.

'It's still pretty crazy.' He removed his spectacles and gave them a wipe with his serviette. Jane placed her hand on top of his.

'You really need to sort this out Harvey. Have you tried talking to her dad? He's always seemed level headed when I've interacted with him, I'm sure he'd listen.' She removed her hand from his and grabbed another slice of pizza. He popped his spectacles back on and picked up his beer, he took a sip and then stared at his hands. 'Harveeeeey...' Jane nudged him with her elbow.

He began peeling the label off the bottle, seemingly lost in thought. Jane sighed and went to get more drinks. 'Could I have another beer and a diet cola please Emily?' she looked back at Harvey who was still picking at the bottle, 'Make that one beer, a diet cola, and one shot of whiskey.' Emily smiled and reached in to the fridge to get the bottles. Jane glanced back towards their table; Harvey was munching on a slice of pizza and smiled at her goofily when he noticed her watching him. Jane smiled back. As she turned back towards the counter she noticed Clint looking at her. She waved but he didn't react. It was only when Emily walked over to Gus to show him the empty whiskey bottle that she noticed, he wasn't watching Jane... he was watching Emily. Jane had no idea they were an item, but then again there was probably a lot going on in Pelican Town than Jane didn't know about. Emily returned empty handed.

'Sorry – I'll bring your whiskey over to the table. Gus has gone to get another bottle from the back.'

Jane smiled. 'No problem. Umm... When did uhh... you and the blacksmith become an item?' she raised an eyebrow at Emily.

'What? The blacksmith?' Her mouth gaped and she went bright red.

'Yeah, you and Clint. I saw the way he was just watching you.' Jane chuckled. She thanked Emily for the beer and returned to her table leaving the barmaid mystified. She slid Harvey's beer in front of him. 'Here, I got you a fresh label to pick at.'

He smiled and thanked her. 'Sorry – It's a bad habit I do when I'm anxious. What's so funny?'

'Oh it's nothing, I was just teasing Emily. So, have you decided what you're going to do about Maru?' She took a long drink and waited for him to answer. Emily came over and placed the whiskey Jane had ordered on the table. Her cheeks still looked a little flushed. 'Thanks Emily.' Jane slid it towards Harvey.

'Aren't you having one?' He lifted the shot glass to his lips and knocked it back.

'I'm not in the mood.' She smiled, looking across the room at Shane who was ordering another drink. She often found herself wondering about him, he really ought to take better care of himself. His skin always looked greasy; covered in pimples. He was also a very heavy drinker, and she had even seen him out in Cindersap Forest completely wasted many times whilst she was out foraging. She pitied him; what had caused him to be like that. She was snapped out of her daze when Emily spoke.

'Have you finished with this?' the barmaid asked pointing at the remnants of their pizza unable to make eye contact with Jane. The pair nodded and leaned back in their seats to allow Emily the room to remove the grease stained serving board and ceramic bowl containing a half nibbled piece of crusty garlic bread.

Harvey squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his temple. 'She told me she loves me.' He opened one eye to check whether she had heard him. She looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face.

'Who? Emily? Poor Clint is going to be so disappointed!' Jane guffawed and looked across at the blacksmith who was once again watching Emily.

Emily? Clint? What?' Harvey shook his head trying to make sense of what Jane had said.

'Well who are you on about?' Jane asked puzzled.

Harvey looked worried. 'Maru! I was talking about Mar-'

As if on cue someone threw liquid in to Jane's face. Maru had appeared at their table, with an empty wine glass in one hand. Jane wiped her hand across her face removing her damp hair from her eyes. 'YOU BITCH!' Maru screeched in to her face.

The legs of Jane's chair scraped back against the floor as she stood up in shock. 'What in the name of Yoba is your problem?' Jane held her top away from her skin; it was wet and cold. 'I'm soaked! You lunatic!' People were looking. Emily was serving a customer but stopped to see what the commotion was about. Gus, the landlord, made his way over.

'I hate you! Things were so much better before you moved here! Do us all a favour and go back to Zuzu City – you fucking City Girl!'

With his hands raise Gus tried to manage the situation. 'Come on ladies, can you either quieten down or take this outside.' Jane looked at him for help. Harvey couldn't make eye contact with the other man.

Maru pointed at Jane and spoke to Gus. 'She's the one that started this!'

'Ladies, please...' Gus tried again.

Jane shook her head, feeling a little shaken. 'You are crazy! I haven't done anything to you!' Maru placed her arms around Harvey's shoulders; which made him go red in the face and shift uncomfortably in his seat. He looked to Jane for help but didn't remove Maru's hands from around his shoulders. Jane frowned at him. 'In fact, I've been nothing but nice to you. Harvey! Are you just going to sit there and allow her to get away with this?'

'I uh... uhh... uhh...' He tried to get up but Maru sat on his lap. The look on her face made Jane want to slap her; and the way her hands touched his thigh made Jane fume. However, before she made a move Harvey had removed Maru from his lap and had stood up from his seat. He'd found his backbone. 'Maru, you need to stop this now! I told you at your parent's house; I don't feel that way about you. I love Jane... not you. My feelings will not change.' He took Jane's hand and pulled her close to him and kissed her in front of everyone. There was loud clapping and cheering and someone wolf whistled. Jane's legs turned to Jell-O. Maru finally seemed to have got the message. She screamed in frustration and then stormed off through the saloon doors, crying.

Gus returned to the counter grumbling something inaudible under his breath. Emily saw Clint looking in her direction and blushed.

Harvey planted his other hand on his face and groaned.

'Harvey? What's wrong?' Jane asked biting her lip. 'Do you need your inhaler?' He laughed and shook his head.

'I forgot to tell her she's fired.'


	17. Chapter 17

**Jane**

Jane wiped the back of her hand across her mouth and took a swig from her water bottle. She needed a moment to regain her composure. Scanning the river for fish, she saw her reflection looking back at her. She looked a little pale and there were dark circles under her eyes; she had been overdoing things. Since she didn't have any plants to look after, apart from the ones inside her greenhouse, she was spending more time than usual down the mines. She was definitely stronger for it; all the rocks she had broken with her pickaxe and not to mention the bags of gold she had hauled home had made her bulkier in the back and shoulders. She would have to start taking things easier, lessen her trips to the mines, and perhaps sort through her wooden chests to see what she could sell. She stood up and stretched. Her muscles were sore, and what she really needed was a long soak at the spa; she hadn't been in weeks.

The last time she visited the baths she had received the shock of her life. She thought she had the whole place to herself, and was holding on to the sides of the pool with her head back against the tiles enjoying the bubbles when she saw Linus' head pop up out of the water in front of her. She had screamed so loudly she was amazed the glass roof hadn't come crashing down on them. He couldn't apologise enough and followed her to the shallow end continuing to tell her he didn't mean to cause her a fright. He had offered to make her a cup of tea in his tent to calm her nerves. Jane saw more than she wanted to - he had been swimming nude. She averted her gaze scrambled out of the pool as quickly as her feet would more. She was horrified and thought she may never get the image out of her memory; those long white pubic hairs.

She felt the urge to vomit at the memory of the old man's wrinkly member, but managed to hold back the bile. Bear licked at her face excitedly, bringing her back to reality, and knocked her off balance. She had fallen on to her backside, and had landed in the deep snow. She felt the cold dampness seeping in to her denims and pulled a face. She hated feeling cold, and right at that moment she felt very uncomfortable.

'Oh Bear, you silly dog!' Jane laughed as Bear took the opportunity to lick her face some more. 'Come on, let me up.' The dog barked and whipped her with its tail as it dashed away from her to check out something interesting in the water. The trees in Cindersap Forest swayed as the wind howled through the branches. Time to head home. She clicked her tongue and Bear came to heel.

Back in the house Jane changed in to fresh overalls and pulled a blanket around her shoulders. The cold gust that had followed her in to the house had blown the fire out. Jane placed another dry log on to the hearth and stoked the fire with one of the metal implements. The wood popped and crackled as the flame licked at it. Bear wasn't daft; she knew where the best place to sleep was and stretched right out in front of the fireplace. Bear's shape reminded Jane of the rug she had mistaken her for when the pair had their first encounter.

Jane smiled and went to make some tea in the kitchen. As she waited for the kettle to boil she happened to glance at the calendar and saw the red circle she'd drawn and the name she had crudely scribbled in on the fourteenth. Harvey. Oh Yoba! Harvey's birthday is in three days! She hadn't got him a gift, but there was still time. She had to go in to the city anyway so she might as well kill two birds with one stone.

**Harvey**

He stared at his hands, looking them over closely. His nails, as usual, were neatly clipped. His long fingers, usually so steady were trembling. He realised keeping his winter jacket on had been a bad decision; he was sweltering. His anxiety levels had risen from the moment he'd stepped out of the clinic. He had felt panic in his chest as he hopped on to the bus; but sitting in the waiting room was the worst. He wanted to leave, to go home to his clinic; to his job. That morning he'd hung the 'CLOSED' sign in the window and shoved his hands in to his jacket pocket; then reluctantly trudged through the snow to catch the bus.

He started coughing. He'd woken up feeling dreadful, he was hot and he'd hardly slept a wink of sleep. Each time he had drifted off he was woken by his incessant chesty cough. He'd taken painkillers for his headache and they were helping with the aches in his bones. One of the hazards of being a doctor was being exposed to a lot of germs. His chest was tight and it was painful to breathe in. He coughed again and got up to grab a cup of water from the water fountain. He drank from a plastic cup, then crumpled and tossed in to the trash.

After returning to his seat he looked up at the wall clock and sighed. It felt like he'd been waiting ages but in reality he'd only been asked to take a seat in the waiting room twenty minutes prior. The waiting room was empty, and so quiet that he could hear the second hand tick as it moved around the clock face. He coughed again, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. He could feel his heart thumping behind his ribs. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself by thinking about Jane. He thought back to the saloon. He really hoped Maru had got the message. He took his inhaler out of his pocket and inhaled deeply. Returning it to his pocket his thoughts went back to the kiss. He had kissed Jane in front of everyone. That was it, their relationship was out in the open and he knew everyone would be talking about them. It's what happened in Pelican Town, people gossiped and if they didn't know the exact details... they usually made them up. For all he knew people probably thought they were engaged. Engaged! No no no! It's too soon for that! Harvey opened his eyes and noticed the receptionist watching him over the top of her computer screen. She probably thinks I'm a right weirdo! She was an attractive woman with shoulder length blonde hair and hazel eyes. She had large hooped earrings dangling from her earlobes. Harvey noticed she had a stud in her nose and in her philtrum. He grimaced as the thought of how painful getting that piercing must have been. He scolded himself when he wondered where else she may have piercings.

'Are you ok there?' she asked him, flashing him a smile. He felt his breath catch in his throat. She had a tattooed sleeve running up her bare arm.

'I'm just a little nervous. It's been a while since I've been here.' He wrung his hands together to stop them shaking.

'You'll be fine. It won't be much longer.' She returned to her work, tapping away on her keyboard.

Harvey was about to reach for his inhaler again when he heard a door creak open. 'Come on through Harvey.' He smiled nervously at his doctor and followed her through to her office. She sat with her legs crossed at the ankles whilst she reviewed his medical file on her computer screen. She was about twenty years his senior, but still looked good for her age. Her hair was peppered with gray but that seemed to be the fashion at the moment. She peered over her half moon eyeglasses at him; she wore them on a chain around her neck. 'I see you've missed a few appointments. You are overdue for your check up.' Harvey swallowed hard. 'Not to worry, you are here now. How well would you say you are managing your asthma?'

He scratched the back of his neck and glanced down at her shoes, the toes were pointy and the heels looked high. He was surprised at her choice of foot wear; especially because she had to be in her early sixties. 'I'm probably using my reliever more than I should be, but I'm doing okay.' He felt for his inhaler, his fingers played with the cap. The look she gave him told him she knew he wasn't being entirely honest with her. He sighed and let his shoulders droop. 'The truth is... I haven't been managing it.' He felt shaky, the flight adrenaline rushed through his body telling him to run but he stayed seated. The sound her highly polished nails made as they tapped on the keyboard seemed to echo around the small room. He wondered what notes she was typing, what assessment she was making. Did she notice how anxious he was, was she going to put that on his records? He felt a bead sweat drip down the back of his neck. He coughed in to his elbow. She held a box of tissues out to him and he took one. He wiped his mouth and face and then dropped it in to trash can next to her desk.

'I appreciate your honestly Harvey, but I have to say I'm disappointed.' Harvey looked at her and considered offering her an excuse but closed his mouth. She was a strict woman; she didn't take bullshit and saw through dishonesty. She had become his doctor after the incident in the mines. He had been referred by the hospital for tests and had finally been instructed to register with a doctor. He had initially refused to take the medication she had prescribed, not wanting to be seen as weak or damaged. He'd managed three weeks before having a severe attack and when she'd prescribed the medication again he had taken it without any protest. He was doing really well, managing his symptoms until recently. 'As a doctor it is your responsibility to ensure you are fit and healthy, and if you are not you need to seek help.'

'Okay-'

'-That wheeze I can hear... do you have that all the time?' She looked up from her computer, waiting for his answer.

'Umm... not all the time. He started coughing again and turned away from her. 'Excuse me!'

She eyed him, searching for the truth. 'I want to listen to your chest. Please remove your jacket.' Harvey did as instructed. He removed his heavy winter jacket, immediately feeling much cooler, and hung it over the back of his seat. His doctor popped the ear buds in to her ears and pressed the bell part of the stethoscope against his chest. 'Breathe in. Hold it. Release it.' She had a look of concentration on her face, her eyes were scrunched and her nose wrinkled as she listened. She moved the bell to another location. He could smell her perfume; it was a very powdery floral scent that reminded him of talcum powder. His throat twitched as he tried not to cough again; perfume was one of his triggers. 'And again please. Breathe in. Hold it. And breathe out.' She removed her stethoscope and folded it neatly on her desk.

Harvey couldn't help but feel anxious; it was usually him doing the examination. 'I've got a chest infection haven't I?' he asked nervously but knew he was right. He could feel the weight on his chest and the pain in his lungs. It hurt when he coughed and his asthma was worse than usual.

She nodded confirming he was correct. 'Yes that's right.' She leaned forward and scanned Harvey's forehead with a handheld digital thermometer. 'You've got a temperature too.'

Harvey coughed again and wheezed heavily. 'The reliever isn't really working.' He used his inhaler, and returned it to his pocket.

'How often are you needing to use your reliever?' she asked as she made some notes on her computer.

'Three or four times a day, sometime... five or six.'

She stopped typing and turned to face him. 'I'll be honest with you Harvey, that's excessive. You should have come to see me sooner. I'll run some tests and I'll prescribe a strong preventative inhaler. That should help; you will need to take it at night and you should find you won't need to use your reliever as often.'

After the tests were done Harvey was sent home and told to drink plenty of fluids and to rest. He opened the door to his apartment and went in to the kitchen where he placed the paper bag full of medicines on the work surface. He'd been prescribed two reliever inhalers, and one preventer inhaler to take before bed. His doctor had insisted he demonstrate using the inhalers to ensure he was using them correctly. He had felt like such an idiot but had done as she'd asked. She'd also given him a peak flow device and asked him to keep track of his readings on the chart that she'd also supplied him with. Harvey was glad to be home, and happy the appointment was over and done with. He made himself a coffee, grabbed the covers off his bed and curled up on the sofa. He picked up the remote and clicked on the Hobbyist channel on his TV and spent the rest of the afternoon watching programs about model making and various craft projects.

His head was lolling on the pillow, and he was closing his eyes when he heard a knock on the door downstairs. He sighed heavily and coughed but went to see who it was. It was Jane, she'd brought a basket of goodies. She emptied the contents of her basket out on to his work surface.

'I made a Sheppard's Pie; I thought we could have it for dinner. I was going to bake a cake but I fell asleep on the bed and when I woke up I thought it was best to come and see you before it got too late.' She tossed him an orange. 'I brought oranges instead.' She picked an orange out of the basket and began to take the peel off.

Harvey tried his best to look pleased that she had visited. 'Thanks, the pie smells wonderful.'

She popped an orange segment in to her mouth and talked whilst she chewed. 'I hope you like it, it's my mother's recipe. She always makes amazing dishes.' She ate another segment.

Harvey loved the smell of oranges. He breathed it in and smiled. 'Would you like a drink?' he offered. She nodded. 'I've got coffee or you could have a beer.' She shook her head.

'Have you got any orange juice?' she asked whilst munching on another piece of orange; the juice ran down her chin and she quickly wiped it away with her hand.

'Orange juice?' he asked bemused and scratched the back of his neck absentmindedly. 'Isn't that orange juicy enough?' She pulled a face, her eyebrows almost met in the middle and her bottom lip stuck out. 'Alright, alright! Don't hurt me... I'll get you a glass of orange juice.' He laughed and shrugged off the bed covers.

She thanked him when he pressed the glass in to her hand and kissed her cheek. 'You look tired Harvey, did you not get enough sleep last night?' They sat down on the sofa and Jane rested her head on his chest. She finished the last piece of her orange and lifted her drink to her lips.

'I went to my appointment today, the asthma one... that you insisted I make.' He yawned.

'Oh yes, how did it go?' Jane asked and placed her glass down on the table in front of them. She brushed his hair out of his eyes and he felt a tingle go up his spine.

'My doctor told me I need to take better care of my health and increased my meds. She also said I've got a chest infection, but I'd concluded that this morning myself.'

Jane sat up and scooted away from Harvey. 'You aren't infectious are you? I can't get ill!' A look of guilt appeared across her face. 'I mean, I can't afford to be unwell!'

Harvey looked hurt. 'Only if I don't cover my mouth when I cough, or don't wash my hands.' As if on cue he started coughing. Jane moved away to the kitchen and refilled her glass.

'It's just a chest infection Jane! Go home if you are worried!' He felt grouchy, but realised he needed to be nice. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. I'm just feeling a bit run down... worn out.'

'It's... ok Harvey. I was being stupid. Just tell me what you want me to do.' She returned with her drink and put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

He forced himself to smile. 'Sit with me and watch crap on TV and... Possibly dish me up a plate of that delicious smelling pie.' She smiled back and went in to the kitchen to plate up the food. He leaned back in to the cushions and propped his feet up on the table. He flicked through the channels on the TV as he watched Jane potter about in the kitchen. He saw her peeling another orange. What's the sudden interest in oranges?

Jane plonked down on the sofa besides Harvey and passed him a plate of food. 'You're making sounds...' She raised an eyebrow, 'whistling noises.'

'Oh, sorry! My chest is a bit tight.' He used his inhaler and then tucked in to the meal. 'Mmm, this is really good. Thank you so much for bringing me food.'

Jane leaned over and kissed his cheek. 'You are welcome. I've got to keep you well fed. I'll need your help on the farm soon.' Harvey's fork clattered against his plate. He looked horrified; physical labour wasn't his forte.

'Excuse me?' He picked up his fork and continued to eat, hoping she wasn't serious.

'Sorry – it was just a joke. I was teasing. I did wonder if you might like to help me when spring comes around, but it's okay. I've managed just fine on my own so far.' She gave him a playful elbow in the ribs but looked towards the TV. He groaned from the contact. Harvey didn't notice the worried look on her face.

He tossed her the remote control. 'Why don't you find a movie for us to watch... nothing too soppy though and nothing scary either.'

An hour later, the movie was forgotten about, the images were still moving on the screen but Harvey wasn't watching. Jane's fingers had worked their way in to his chinos and had found his manhood. He stared at her beautiful face as she tugged on him, bringing him to climax. He gasped and stared in to the eyes of the woman he loved.


	18. Chapter 18

**Jane**

She wasn't going to be able to keep it from him for much longer, maybe a month or two if she was lucky. He was going to notice things, start suspecting something was up with her.

Her clothes were getting tighter and she was eating her weight in oranges; she was sure the citrus scent had become like a perfume on her skin. Harvey had already asked if she had changed her shower gel; she'd lied and said she had.

Standing sideways in front of her tall mirror she could see the smallest of bumps popping out from her abdomen. She brushed a hand over her skin thought about the tiny life she was incubating, and wondered if anyone would had noticed the slight change to her shape. She highly doubted it – she was barely showing; and anyway it was easy to hide. She threw on an oversized t-shirt and baggy hoody. She turned from side to side and satisfied with her appearance she grabbed her boots and heavy winter jacket and headed in to town.

As she trudged through the snow she felt a pang of guilt in her chest. She was all for supporting the little guy, the local shops, and tradesmen, but Pierre's General store didn't stock everything. She was also pretty sure that if she enquired about certain pregnancy vitamins word would most likely get out and before she even got home the whole town would be talking about Harvey Jnr. Oh Yoba!

As she headed past Pierre's store she surveyed the crates of fruit in the window, the oranges looked juicy; and she knew they were because they were from her own tree. Would it seem ridiculous to pop in and buy one of her own oranges at most likely double the price she sold them to Pierre for? And would it raise suspicion – would it lead to questions about what she was doing or where she was going? Before she could make up her mind she heard someone call her name.

'Oh hello Harvey,' she smiled at him and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. She turned around and walked over to the slightly sheltered doorway of the clinic.

'I've got coffee brewing if you want to come up for a mug.' He planted a kiss on her lips and went a little pink. It amused her that he still blushed around her. He held a mug in his hands and took a sip from it. Oh Yoba - the coffee; the smell made her stomach churn. She did well not to show the revulsion on her face.

She pretended to scratch and itch under her nose when really she was trying to cover her nostrils; the coffee was strong. 'I can't right now, but I'll stop by on my way back.' She thought about the oranges in the window next door to the clinic, the smell of the peel and the way she liked to nibble at the membrane with her teeth.

'Where are you off to, I could come with you?' Harvey asked enthusiastically

'Oh no, I've got a few errands to run. You'll just be bored.' She shook her head, and hoped he'd take the hint.

'Not at all, just let me grab my jacket and boots.' He disappeared inside the clinic before Jane could say anything more. She thought about slipping away but knew he'd feel sad if she ditched him; she would also feel bad about it. She would need to invent some errands; she couldn't very well take him with her to Joja Mart to buy pregnancy vitamins. For fuck sake Harvey!

While she waited she thought about those oranges again and wondered if she had time to grab one and eat it before Harvey came back. Oh fuck it, I need one!

As she stepped through the doorway the bell jingled alerting the shopkeeper of her presence. Pierre leaned on the counter and greeted her cheerily, 'Good morning Jane, is there anything in particular I can help you will this morning?'

Jane smiled feeling rather hot in all of the layers. 'Morning Pierre, I'm just browsing thanks.' She went straight to the oranges and picked one up. She brought it to her nose and inhaled the scent; she had the urge to bite right in to the skin and suck out the juice. She told herself that would be considered odd behaviour and would probably get some funny looks from Pierre and his customers so she found a basket and dropped the orange and two more inside. She glanced around the store quickly creating a plan; creating some believable imaginary errands. She picked up some beets thinking they would do for Evelyn; she always appreciated the vegetables Jane brought her. She stroked her chin with her thumb and forefinger wondering who else she could treat. There was a small box overflowing with chilli peppers. Lewis! He loves those. She grabbed a handful and dropped them next to the beets. Parsnips, parsnips, parsnips. Who would appreciate those? It came to her, Pam loved them. She selected the three best looking ones and placed them on top of the other vegetables in the basket. Her basket was quite full, but she saw the peaches and remembered how much Robin had enjoyed them when she'd taken her some a few weeks earlier. She saw the price and pulled a face; Pierre was charging more than triple the price he'd paid her! She placed the basket on the counter and reluctantly paid a lot of gold for her own produce. Pierre smiled as he helped her pack it all in to her backpack. It was a good plan but it was going to cost her.

Harvey was just locking up the clinic when the door closed behind her. He walked over to her, wrapped up for winter in his thick jacket and heavy boots. The snow crunched under his feet as he approached. 'Thanks for waiting; I hope I wasn't too long.'

Jane shook her head and repositioned her backpack across her shoulders, the weight was disproportioned and it was pulling on one side. 'No, not at all. Are you ready then?'

Harvey shoved his hands in to his pockets to keep them warm. 'Where are we off to first?'

'I've got some beets to deliver to Evelyn and George, so we can drop them off first.' Jane wondered if she should have come clean and told Harvey what she had really intended to purchase, but she'd invested in to the lie so she'd have so see it through to the end. She knocked on the door hoping they hadn't gone out.

They heard George's grumpy voice, 'If you're selling something, go away we aren't interested.' Jane giggled when she heard Evelyn tell her husband to stop being an old grump. The elderly grandmother loved visitors and often talked Jane's ear off when she dropped food off. She almost always insisted she come inside for a cup of tea and something to eat.

'Oh Jane, come on in. And – you've brought your beau with you. It's so lovely to see you both.' It was hard to tell whose face was a brighter shade of pink; both Jane and Harvey looked equally as embarrassed. 'Come in and have a warm by the fire, I've just made some scones.'

'Ah, no Evelyn it's just a passing visit. I thought you might like these-,' Jane rummaged through her bag, '-beets, I thought you might have them for your supper.' She handed the vegetables over to Evelyn whose face lit up. The old woman pulled Jane in to a tight hug; her flowery perfume overpoweringly powdery.

'Oh, that's so kind of you!' For someone who looked so frail Evelyn had a bear like grip. When she finally released Jane she said, 'I insist – come in for a cup of tea and a scone.'

'Have you got coffee?' Harvey asked; his eyes bright and hopeful. Harvey! I haven't got time for this!

'Of course I have dear, you know I buy it in especially for when you visit. Come on in and take the weight off.' Harvey waved his arm in front of them indicating that Jane should enter first. Jane put on her best smile and went in to the musty smelling house.

The three of them sat at the kitchen table. They could hear the TV playing loudly in the other room. As they entered the house they heard George grumble a quick, 'hello,' but he didn't bother taking his eyes off the screen.

Harvey munched on a scone and sipped his coffee. 'That's good coffee, and the scone is really delicious.'

'Yeah, the scones are amazing. I may have to procure the recipe one day when I have a free moment,' Jane added.

'Thank you both, but never mind about the scones. I'm dying to hear about how Harvey proposed? I want to hear all the details.' She clasped her hands together in front of her chest and waited. 'Ohh I just love a good romance story.' He eyes crinkled at the corners, and she sighed dreamily.

Harvey choked on his scone and coughed violently. Jane burst out laughing. 'Proposed? You think we're engaged?' Jane looked at Harvey but he couldn't speak due to coughing so much.

'Yes dear, you must tell me – did he take you on a long walk across the beach? Is that when he got down on one knee?' Evelyn giggled and George groaned loudly from the other room, clearing not interested in soppy romance. Harvey wheezed loudly trying to breath.

'Stop being a busy body!' George grumbled, 'you've always got your nose in other people's damned business!

Evelyn ignored her husband. 'I bet the ring is beautiful, and I imagine the stone was expensive,' Evelyn's eyes were wide and dreamy, 'what with him being a doctor and all. You've got yourself quite the catch there honey.' Jane felt herself embarrassed. She turned to Harvey; he was watery eyed and had got red in the face.

'Harvey!' Jane got up and thumped him hard on the back, dislodging the bit of dry scone from his throat. His colour returned to normal. 'Are you ok? Yoba, Evelyn we aren't getting married ok!'

'Water...' Jane got up and ran the faucet. There was an old fashioned looking flowery glass upside down in the drainer. Jane filled it with water and pressed it in to Harvey's hands. He gulped it down so quickly he had another coughing fit. 'Thanks.'

Jane stood Harvey up; and frowned at Evelyn whilst she spoke to her beau. 'Come on Pelican-Town's-only-doctor-who-almost-choked-to-death-on-a-scone; let's get you some fresh air. Thanks for the drinks Evelyn, we'll show ourselves out.'

The old woman's mouth hung open in protest but before she could say anything Jane had grabbed their jackets and had pushed Harvey out of the house. They both shivered; the wind had picked up and it had started to snow again. Jane tossed Harvey his jacket and quickly put her own on.

'That was... um... awkward.' Jane said biting her lip nervously waiting for Harvey to say something. She watched his hand tremble as he struggled with his zip. 'Here... let me.' She stepped forward and he dropped his hands so she could do it.

His voice sounded a little rough, probably scratched from choking on the scone. He rubbed his throat, massaging away the irritation. 'Yeah, really awkward.' He laughed and kissed her nose. She stood on her tiptoes, hooked her arms around his waist and kissed him. When she pulled away he turned his head towards the house. 'She's watching us through the window.'

'I guess we should take this elsewhere.' She giggled and grabbed his hand; pulling him up the steps towards the grassy park. 'Come on, in here.'

Harvey stopped when he saw she was taking him to the Community Centre. 'Wait Jane, it's dangerous in there. The building is dilapidated and it's not safe.' Jane grabbed him through his trousers and squeezed. 'Oh fuck...' He leaned forward and nuzzled her neck.

'Come on, let's be a bit naughty.' She took his hand again and led him inside the spooky old building.'

**Harvey**

The door creaked as Jane pushed it open, the sound spooked a pigeon which flew up in to the rafters. Harvey flinched at the sound of its wings flapping, initially unsure as to what it was. He took in his surroundings. He had thought the Community Centre looked bad from the outside, but it was far worse on the inside. He pulled a face at the sight. The building had been neglected, left to rot. Perhaps left to die would be a more accurate way to describe it. He was shocked, and couldn't fathom why Lewis hadn't had it demolished. There should have been a warning sign at the entrance; and it should have been boarded up because it was a health hazard. The floorboards were rotten, and the smell of damp made him wrinkle his nose in disgust. Many of the floorboards had collapsed; allowing trees to grow within what used to be the main hall. Half of the floor was covered in snow, which had fallen through the giant hole in the room. Harvey looked up; he could see the sky and hear the wind gusting through the building.

'This isn't a good idea Jane, come on let's go back to my apartment where it's warm.'

She smiled at him, and pushed a door open. 'It's not all bad, come through... this way. I'll show you the improvements I've made.' She disappeared in to another room and left him staring up at the gaping hole. 'Harvey! Come the fuck on will you,' she called to him sounding impatient.

He groaned but followed her in the other room, treading carefully avoiding a broken floorboard that was jutting up at an angle. When he saw the room he did a double take. It looked nothing like the main entrance which was a rotting disaster waiting to collapse. He was genuinely surprised. 'Wow, this is amazing.' He glanced around the room, so bright and colourful, and welcoming. It looked like some sort of activity or craft room. There was a desk in the far corner, and next to that there was a very comfy looking leather sofa. There was also sewing corner with a spinning wheel and yarn in a variety of colours. Harvey was pretty sure he saw an artist's easel but the image whizzed past in a blur as Jane grabbed him and pulled him towards the sofa. She removed her jacket and Harvey instinctively did the same, he folded it and placed it neatly on the desk. Jane kissed him and suddenly Harvey forgot where they were, all he could think about was Jane and how he was going to make love to her.

Her hands reached under her large hoody and unclipped the braces of her overalls. 'I think we should keep some clothes on because it's so cold in here.' She sat down on the sofa, unlaced her boots and kicked them off. She pushed her overalls down her hips and stepped out of them. The hoody looked too big for her but Harvey didn't care; she'd look sexy in anything. He reached his hand underneath the material and gently cupped one of her breasts. Jane moaned and bit her lip. He felt her hands at his waistband; her fingers undid his fly. He pinched her nipple between his fingers and nuzzled his face in to her neck. She smelt so good, so fruity and sweet. Mmm... oranges! He planted kisses on her neck and in to her shoulder which made her giggle. 'I'm a bit ticklish there.'

'I'm sorry,' he moved his lips to her jaw. 'Is this better?' he asked and kissed her on the mouth. She pushed his chinos and underwear down over his hips and they dropped to his ankles. He sat down on the sofa and she followed him. She grinned and him, and he felt himself redden as he stared back at her beauty. She climbed on to his lap and gently eased herself down on to his erection. It was his turn to groan. He held her thighs as she moved and as he thrust up inside her. She teased him; she sped up and then slowed right down. She raised herself up until only the very tip of his manhood was inside her.

She grinned at him and then took all of him again and moved quickly. He grabbed her backside and pulled himself in deeper, panting from exhaustion. She cried out and the giggled, 'I'm sorry – that tipped me over the edge.' He continued to move but he could tell she was exhausted from her orgasm.

'Can I... go on top?' he asked feeling embarrassed. She climbed off his lap and took his place on the sofa. Harvey held his manhood in his hand. 'Umm... could I... No, never mind.'

'No, go on Harvey... what do you want?' She grinned; her face hot and sweaty.

'Would you mind if...' He looked away embarrassed, 'No, nevermind.'

'Harvey,' she stood up and stroked his cheek, 'Are you trying asking me if we can try it from behind?'

'I'm sorry – I shouldn't have asked. Please don't hate me.'

'Oh Harvey, you idiot – how could I ever hate you. Come on.' She got off the sofa and moved over to the desk. She spread her legs, and leaned forward supporting herself with her hands. 'Like this?' He couldn't speak, the desire took over his senses.

Harvey could not move quickly enough; he almost stumbled over his own feet – his chinos were still around his ankles. She was still wet, and it was so easy to slip inside her once more. He held her around the abdomen but she moved his hands to her waist. He tried to slow his pace but he couldn't. He thrust quickly and deeply, excited to be able to make love to her from a rearward position. With one finally deep thrust he released in to her; almost collapsing on top of her as he came.

'That was amazing Jane,' he breathed heavily as he pulled his underwear and chinos up. His head was buzzing. 'I am so lucky – and you are so beautiful.' He inhaled a dose of his asthma medicine and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. She smiled and rested her head against his chest.

'You aren't the only one who is lucky you know,' she squeezed him in to a tight hug, 'come on we'd better get going before it gets too late.' She dressed quickly and they sneaked out of the Community Centre, making sure not to be seen. As much as Harvey had enjoyed himself he was relieved to be out of the building.

Harvey continued to accompany Jane whilst she ran her errands. They held hands as they walked toward the carpenter's workshop, although Harvey found his pace slowing. He was reluctant to see the family again, not knowing what to expect when they knocked on the door. 'I'll stay outside whilst you go in,' he told Jane.

'Oh, ok – if you are sure.'

Jane went indoors and Harvey leaned back against the side of the property. He didn't want to have another awkward conversation, and hoped to avoid Maru and her father for as long as possible. He felt flustered and fidgety; he paced back another forth each time he past the door he checked his watch. His heart was racing and his sweat had started to bead at his forehead. Come on Jane! Hurry up, please! Luckily he didn't have to wait long for Jane to return; the front door to opened and she stepped out in to the snow.

'Robin wasn't home. I left the peaches with Demetrius.'

'Okay – where to next?' Harvey wanted to get away from there as quickly as possible to avoid any trouble.

'Umm... would you have any objection to popping by the Joja Mart store?' she asked and pulled a face that showed she felt guilty. 'Then we just have to drop some parsnips off at Pam's trailer and some Chilli peppers off at the Mayor's home?

Harvey laughed and shrugged his shoulders. 'Oh, I go there all the time. Sure – I could probably do with a few bits myself.' Jane smiled and hooked her arm through his.

**Jane**

The large sliding doors whooshed open as they stepped on to the sensor plate in front of the store. The gush of warm air was inviting and Harvey and Jane stepped through the door way. The doors whooshed closed behind them and an announcement over the speaker declared there was 20% off all TV dinners. Jane wondered if the announcement had been aimed at Harvey; he did seem rather too fond of TV dinners. She giggled and squeezed his arm affectionately.

Jane picked up a plastic basket that had the words Joja Mart printed along the handle, and told Harvey, 'I've got some personal items to pick up... feminine products.'

'Ohhh... okay, I'll meet you back here shall I?' He said looking slightly pink in the face. She watched him pick up his own basket and hoped he'd buy at least one healthy item.

'See you shortly,' she smiled and went to look for the vitamins she needed. She looked back over her shoulder to make sure he wasn't following her and then wandered down a random aisle. She'd been in the store more than a handful of times, as Pierre didn't stock tampons or pregnancy tests in his grocery store. She knew where to look and headed towards the section of the store that sold toiletry products. As she turned the corner she stopped in her tracks. Shit! She saw the Joja Mart employee ripping boxes open with a box cutter. It was Shane. He was stacking tubes of toothpaste in to neat rows on one of the lower shelves. He hadn't seen her; he was too busy working to notice her. She walked down the aisle, basket in the crook of her arm, careful not to make too much sound. She would be quick, she could see the pregnancy vitamins on the middle shelf; she recognised the packaging since she'd purchased the month before. As she got closer she reached out and picked up a box.

'Doc's knocked you up then?' he was staring right at her patting his own belly, with huge grin on his face. 'Or maybe it's not his...'

'Of course it's his!' she snapped at him but then slapped both hands to her mouth shocked at her outburst. She looked at Shane with wide eyes then spun around quickly; suddenly paranoid that Harvey might be in the vicinity. Oh Yoba, please don't let Harvey have heard!

Shane laughed. 'He doesn't know... does he?'

Jane sighed. 'Shane, you can't say anything. I'm not ready to tell him.' She dropped the vitamins in to her basket. He rolled his eyes at her. 'It's my business Shane... I don't need to justify myself to you, but I'd appreciate it if you kept it to yourself.'

'Fine, whatever... look I gotta get on with my work.'

'Thanks, Shane,' she smiled feeling relieved and carried on down the aisle. She stopped when she heard him speak again, the tone of his voice indicated he was clearly mocking her.

'I'm actually surprised that other girl he's fucking hasn't been in to buy a pregnancy test yet, give it time though... I suppose.'

'What!' Jane watched the grin reappear on his face. 'What did you just say?'

He cleared his throat. 'I said I wouldn't be surprised if Maru was also carrying the Doc's kid.' Jane dropped her basket which clattered to the floor. She grabbed on to the shelf; several toothbrushes and bottles of mouthwash tumbled on to the floor. 'Heyyy! I gotta pick all that up now!'

'I'm gonna be sick.' Jane fell forward on to her knees and spewed on to the floor, and then spewed again.

'Oh, that's nasty!' He grimaced.

'CLEAN UP ON AISLE TEN!' the voice over the speaker instructed.

'Ah fuck, mannnn! Now I gotta go get a mop!'

Jane put her hand out in front of her. He vision was blurry and her whole body trembled. 'No! Wait... tell me what you've heard!' She wiped her mouth with the back of her other hand and tried to swallow but her mouth had gone dry.

'It's not what I heard, more like what I saw.'

Jane managed to stand up, but held on to the shelf for support. 'Shane, don't be an ass, just tell me.'

'Well... I was leaving the Stardrop one night when I saw them. The Doc and Maru, his receptionist,' he took off his Joja Mart cap and scratched the top of his head, 'Are you sure you want to know?'

'Tell me... please.' Did she really want to know? She wasn't sure but there was no going back.

'Well, I was quite drunk but I'm pretty sure Doc was fucking her, banging her up against the side of the saloon. Maru was moaning and Harvey was grunt-'

'-That's enough Shane.' Harvey was standing behind her, a look of anger on his face. His basket full of TV dinners hung at his side. His expression changed when he saw the tears in Jane's eyes. 'Jane...'

She didn't say a word to him, she barged past him and walked straight out of the store.


	19. Chapter 19

**Harvey**

The doors slid closed with a whoosh and she was gone. Harvey stood motionless, staring at the entrance trying to process what had happened. Why didn't I deny Shane's accusations? Why didn't I tell her it wasn't true?He closed his eyes and rubbed his temple. Why didn't he tell Jane that nothing was going on between him and Maru, and why hadn't he chased after her?

He heard a sound behind him and remembered Shane was still there. He turned to confront the Joja Mart employee. Shane had acquired a mop and was plunging it in to a bucket of hot soapy water, intending to clean up the large puddle of vomit. The smirk on his face caused Harvey's temper to rage.

He dropped the basketful of ready meals and lunged at Shane. 'What have you done?' He grabbed the Joja Mart employee by his shirt, slamming him back against the shelving unit. Various healthcare products including toothpaste and toothbrushes spilled from the shelf on to the floor. The boxes were crushed under their shoes.

'What the actual fuck man? Get off me, help!' Shane tried to get free of Harvey's hold. 'Security!' he shouted, a hint of panic in his voice.

'Why Shane? Why?' Harvey felt so angry, his jaw was clenched and he had to suppress the urge to thump Shane. He wasn't a violent man, but right then he was so angry.

'What the fuck is your problem? Let go of my shirt; you're gonna rip it!' Shane squirmed, trying to wriggle free from Harvey's grasp. He pretended to look confused but Harvey had heard what he'd told Jane, so Harvey wasn't going to put up with his bullshit.

Don't act like you don't know what you just did. Just because you aren't happy with your own miserable life doesn't mean you get to ruin mine!' Harvey knew he was going against everything he had learned at medical school. He was a doctor, and a good one at that, but at that moment he was just a man who was scared he might have lost the only woman he had ever truly loved.

Shane threw up his hands. 'Whoa Doc, don't go throwing the blame at me. You are the one who can't keep his dick in his pants and out of Maru's...' Shane grabbed his own crotch and laughed.

Harvey motioned to strike Shane but someone restrained him, and twisted his arm behind his back in to an arm lock. Shane breathed a sigh of relief and pushed himself off the shelf. The security guard's hold was tight but Harvey was a big man and held his ground, he hadn't finished talking to Shane and wasn't going to let some ass with a plastic badge stop him. Shane tried to smooth the creases out of his shirt. 'I never slept with her Shane!' Harvey yelled at him. 'Yes I was drunk and an idiot but I didn't sleep with her.' Another security guard had joined the first; who grabbed his other arm and together the two beefy guards forced Harvey to go with them.

'What are you telling me for? Jane is the one whose heart you just destroyed.' Shane was right, Harvey needed to tell her. He bucked trying to get out of the grip of the two men but one of them put the arm lock on tighter. He winced in pain and growled frustration.

'You have ruined everything!' Harvey yelled back in frustration as he was forced to walk away from Shane. 'Why would you do that?'

'No asshole, you have ruined everything!'

'Let go of me!' He didn't like being restrained; he needed to find Jane.

'Sir will you please calm down, we are just going to take you through to the back and have a little chat.'

'You have no right to do this!'

'That's what all the troublemakers say.'

Approximately forty minutes later the door opened and in walked Morris, the store manager, followed by Harvey's most favourite person in the entire town; Mayor Lewis. Harvey groaned, not looking forward to having yet another chat with the Mayor who sat in the chair opposite his. Lewis frowned disapprovingly at Harvey and shook his head.

Morris cleared his throat and said, 'You will need to pay for the toothpaste you damaged. I will need your full name and home address so I can put on record. I will also need your payment details.'

'Morris, really? It was toothpaste... Put it on my bill and leave us.' Lewis ordered and waved at the manager to leave the room.

The door clicked shut and for a moment there was an awkward silence. Harvey sat quietly and waited for the lecture; the only sounds were the disapproving grunts from Lewis and his own wheezy chest. He'd been left with nothing but his thoughts in a damp room with his hands cable-tied behind his back for what felt like hours. The room smelled of mould and the coldness had crawled on to his chest. Harvey had thought of nothing but Jane and how he planned to go after her once he was released. Women liked flowers... he'd get her a bunch of flowers. Hell, he'd buy her enough flowers to fill her farmhouse. He would do whatever she wanted, he would grovel at her feet until she took him back; and most of all he would tell her the truth.

The Mayor cleared his throat which got Harvey's attention. Harvey lifted his eyes from the floor and saw the irritation on the older man's face. He waited to be reprimanded; he seemed to be making a habit of that lately and wondered whether he'd be banned from shopping at the Joja Mart store. What a horrible thought; where else would he purchase his TV dinners? He locked eyes with Lewis. He couldn't show he was worried, so he tried to act nonchalant. He knew there would be no point denying his actions; the Joja Mart store had high-tech cameras.

Harvey felt light headed and couldn't really hear what Lewis was saying, although he could see his lips moving. 'Harvey are you listening to me?' The Mayor snapped his fingers in front of Harvey's face; who had slipped in to a trance. He was thinking about Jane again and found himself smiling; her beautiful freckles and her smile that lit up her face. 'Oh my goodness, are you tied to that chair? I had no idea, I'm so sorry – let me find some scissors.'

Harvey watched him go over to a desk that was piled high with boxes and covered in dog-eared folders. The Mayor returned with a box cutter and cut the plastic cable-tie; freeing his hands. Harvey rubbed at the red marks on his wrists and shot up from the chair. His hand was on the door about to push it open when the Mayor barked at him to sit back down. Reluctantly he did as was ordered, but slid the chair a few feet away from the Mayors chair before he sat down. He crossed his arms in front of him and sulked like petulant child. The wheeze in his chest grew louder but Harvey ignored it.

'For the sake of Yoba take your dammed medicine. You are a doctor – stop this nonsense now!' Harvey didn't need to be told twice; his hand shook as he reached in to his pocket for his inhaler. He felt the older man's eyes watching him as he brought the mouthpiece to his lips and inhaled. The Mayor waited for Harvey to return it to his pocket before continuing. 'I was engaged in something that needed to be taken care of urgently when Morris rather rudely hammered on my front door. I don't appreciate being dragged away from important mayoral work to deal silly incidents like this Harvey.

'Please be sure to send my apologies to Marnie, I did not mean to interrupt your urgent needs.' Harvey rolled his eyes and looked away in an attempt to hide the smirk that had crept on to his face.

The Mayor coughed nervously and turned a shade of pink. 'This cannot keep happening Doctor – you need to control your emotions. A Doctor is a highly respected member of the community and so you are expected to act in a professional manner. Your attitude needs to change, or you will need to find another practise in another town.'

Harvey felt his Adam's apple bob as he gulped. 'I... I...' he felt for his inhaler; he always took comfort from knowing it was close by when he felt anxious, 'I understand. Please accept my apology for the unprofessional way I behaved today. I will do my upmost to change my ways.' He looked down at his feet, feeling embarrassed. He did not want to be forced to leave Pelican Town; he loved it there. It was his home and the townsfolk, as peculiar as some of them were, they were like family.

'I'm glad to hear it, and I hope for your sake we do not have any further discussions on the matter.' The Mayor stood and held out his hand. Harvey looked at it cautiously and then slid his hand in to the older man's and shook it. 'Good, I'll straighten things out with Morris. I suggest you find another store to buy your unhealthy meals from.'

Harvey ignored the comment; he was just glad to be able to leave the dank storeroom. He watched as the Mayor approached the customer service desk and averted his gaze when he saw Morris glaring at him.

Outside the store the winter air was refreshing, and such a relief to breathe as opposed to the stuffy storeroom he had been confined to. He pulled on his gloves and trudged in to town.

As he crossed the little wooden bridge that took him past the Mayor's house he heard Willy the old fisher man say, 'I've seen many a maiden's heart broken in my time at sea but I'd never have thought I'd see the farmer in such a state.'

Harvey felt a fresh pang of guilt hit him in the chest. He didn't say a word to the fisherman; he looked the man in the eyes and felt dreadful for the pain he had caused Jane. He carried on past the graveyard, and then past the saloon but a familiar voice called to him. He ignored it and quickened his pace, but the owner of the voice grabbed him by the arm. Harvey flung the man's hand away and tried to walk on but the man grabbed hold of his sleeve.

'I haven't got time for this!' he growled.

'Can we talk?' Demetrius' grip was firm and Harvey thought his jacket might rip if he tried to pull free. 'Come on buddy, let me buy you a drink.'

Harvey looked at the saloon and nodded. He didn't think he had much choice, and to be honest it probably wasn't the best idea to go chasing after Jane right then.

Demetrius ordered two beers and then flicked his head towards a table located across from the bar. The two men sat, and Demetrius slid Harvey's beer across the table to him. Harvey brought the bottle to his lips and took a drink, and watched the other man cautiously. Am I really going to be reprimanded twice in one day? Can't I catch a fucking break!

'She's my baby girl... You gotta understand that, and when I saw her crying I assumed you were in the wrong.'

Harvey said nothing, and instead took another sip. He glanced around the bar; it was still early and most of the regulars wouldn't arrive until their work shift had finished. The saloon was practically empty.

Demetrius looked down at his hands as he spoke. 'She told me everything Harvey; and I can't say I'm happy because I'm not. I'm not angry either though... but I think it's for the best that she doesn't work at the clinic anymore.'

Harvey exhaled the breath he'd been holding. 'I think that's for the best Demetrius, for the both of us. How is she?'

'She's ok, or rather she will be with some time. Her pride is hurt but she'll get over it. Anyway, I've told her I want her to concentrate of her studies... and perhaps I'll take her away for a vacation. It's about time we spent some time together as a family. I've noticed she's actually getting on with Sebastian at the moment, or he's making more of an effort with her. They've been spending time together; talking which is good. I can't stand hostility but that boy really does try my patience at times.'

Harvey wasn't really listening; his hands were shaking and he couldn't stop the thoughts whirring around in his mind. 'That's great – I'm happy for you.'

'Harvey... is everything okay?' Demetrious placed a hand on his shoulder and Harvey's thoughts went back to the memory of being helped home by both Demetrious and Jane. He made a sound, and sniffed back the tears that were threatening to come. 'Harvey?'

'I've fucked up. I've ruined everything!'

**Jane**

Jane threw herself down on to her bed, her screams muffled by the pillows. She couldn't believe she'd been so foolish. She was a strong independent woman who had come to the valley for the quiet life, not for heartbreak. How could he do that to her? He told her he loved her, yet all that time he'd been screwing Maru behind her back. That bitch!

She should have known things were too good to be true, especially when the warning signs were right in front of her. The town's quirky doctor had pulled the wool over her eyes, and Maru had been right beside him doing only Yoba knew what! The thing that hurt the most was that she'd actually fallen in love with him. Since she was left at the altar by her ex-fiancé she told herself she would never give her heart away so easily again. She had been so foolish, and then there was the baby. Was it true what Shane had said – was Maru also carrying the not so sweet doctor's baby? How could I have been so stupid?

She sobbed in to the pillow, the blanket was screwed up tightly in both of her fists. She tossed and turned, and thrashed about on the bed unable to suppress her emotions. She felt both upset and angry. She punched the pillow several times and flung it at the wall. 'HARVEY YOU BASTARD!'

Bear whined concernedly, her giant shaggy head rested on the edge of the mattress trying to offer her master some comfort. Jane reached out a shaky hand and petted the animal's muzzle. The dog licked at her fingers and took that as permission to climb on to the bed. Jane welcomed the comfort and buried her face in to Bears fur. She eventually slipped in to a restless sleep from the exhaustion, with Bear snoring softly next to her. Her dreams were filled with memories of Harvey, but quickly changed to nightmares. In one dream she was a fly on the wall and witnessed Harvey giving Maru oral sex, his face obscured between her legs. Maru was laughing at her.

Jane woke up in a panic. The bed sheet and blanket were soaked with sweat, and the memory of the nightmare was still clear in her mind. She looked at her watch; it was ten in the morning; she'd overslept. She winced as she felt a sharp pain in her head. She squinted at the bright stream of light pouring in through the window; in her distress she had forgotten to draw the curtains. Bear licked her face excitedly and leapt off the bed to seek out breakfast.

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. As her palms brushed her cheeks she felt moisture. She must have been crying in her sleep; her face was damp with tears. After wiping her face with the back of her sleeve she forced herself to get out of bed. Her legs were like jelly and when she tried to stand she felt giddy. Her head was hurting and she felt nauseous; she had a migraine. She hadn't had one for a while, but when she did get them they were usually stress induced so she wasn't surprised she had one.

She found some headache tablets and filled an empty glass at the faucet. She swallowed the pills and gulped the icy water.

In the shower she let the hot water wash over her as she stood with her head bowed; tears fell from her face in to the drain with the soapy suds. She knew her dreams were not been real, but she couldn't help wonder if Harvey really had done those things with Maru. She dry heaved, feeling crushed once more. She moved her hands over her tiny barely noticeable bump and bit her lip to stop it from trembling.

'Oh Harvey... how could you?' She dropped to her knees and sat at the bottom of the shower cubicle and cradled her stomach, her shoulders shook, and once again she let the water mask her tears.

Out on the farm, in her overalls and thick winter coat, she trudged through the snow to see to her animals. It was raining heavily; it had been all night, so some of the snow had been changed in to a muddy slush. She lost her footing on the way to the barn, but managed to correct her balance. Her livelihood didn't pause just because she was having a bad day, there was always work to be done. That was the life of a farmer – it was a harsh life with hardly any time to rest, but it was what she enjoyed. It was the distraction she needed.

In the barn the chickens were happy; the radiator was pumping out heat and the auto feeder was fully stocked. She was grateful to Marnie for sending her extra supplies for the winter; her supplies had been low and with Marnie's help she'd been able to keep the animals fed. Jane took a moment to pet each chicken before collecting their eggs in her basket.

She welcomed the tropical warmth of the greenhouse as she stepped through the glass doors. She unzipped her thick jacket and set about picking fruit from the trees. As she selected an orange she started sobbing again when her thoughts returned to the time she took a basket full to Harvey in his upstairs apartment. She had eaten so many oranges that day, she was surprised he never questioned her about her sudden obsession with them.

When she was done she headed back to the house and kicked off her boots. Despite her warm clothes she felt frozen to the bone. There was more work to be done, such as replacing some of the broken fences ready for the next season but that would have to wait for another day. She was done, and there was no way she was going back out in to that rain. She put away her basket of produce and sat in her armchair by the fireplace. The flames flickered and the wood popped and crackled. As she warmed up she took out her cell phone and scrolled through her contacts. She saw Harvey's name at the top of her recent calls list. In fact the last four calls were made to him. Her finger hovered over his name for a moment but she clicked off the screen and tossed the phone on to her bed. She needed to stay strong; she needed to think about herself and her baby. She placed her hands across her stomach and wondered about the life she was creating. She would probably have to start thinking about baby names at some point; perhaps Gunther had a book in his library that would offer some ideas.

The baby! How much of the conversation with Shane had Harvey heard? The image of him standing there glaring at Shane entered her thoughts; she'd never seen Harvey look that intense... well not since his drunken brawl with Alex. She had been planning to tell Harvey, but with him being unwell she hadn't wanted to give him any undue stress. She also hadn't fully come to terms with it herself until recently. She had worried she wouldn't be a good mother, and had wondered how it would impact her working life; how would she cope on the farm with an infant? All of those worries had been pushed out of her mind when she'd attended her first scan at the hospital. She'd seen her baby on the monitor, and had fallen in love. It suddenly became very real, especially when the Sonographer referred to her as, 'Mom.' She couldn't wipe the smile from her face, and couldn't stop looking at the scan photos. She sighed. As much as she hated him right then, Harvey had a right to know he was going to be a dad.

She went in to the kitchen to make herself a hot chocolate and as she took a mug down from the cupboard she happened to glance at the calendar. She almost dropped the mug. There was a circle around December 14th; Harvey's birthday was the next day. She groaned and slapped a hand to her forehead; with all that had happened she'd forgotten about that. She had bought him a gift; she'd driven to the city and had encountered a lot of bother trying to find a parking spot. She hadn't been sure what to buy him and spent what seemed like hours traipsing back and forth between stores. She had been about to go home empty handed when she saw something and had an idea. She had smiled all the way back on the drive home, imagining his face lighting up when he saw it. The gift was in a drawer; neatly wrapped, with a cute little bow on top.

She considered throwing the gift in to the trash, but with the effort she had gone to she thought she should at least leave it on his doorstep with the rest of his things that he'd left at her house.


	20. Chapter 20

**Jane**

She swung her pickaxe over her shoulder and struck the rock which revealed a geode. She tossed it in to her bag and then hit another rock with more force which crumbled in to pieces. The next rock also crumbled as her pickaxe broke it open. She stopped to catch her breath and kicked the loose rubble in frustration. Fatigue was hitting her hard; it was one of the symptoms of being pregnant and it was really beginning to wear her down. She had battled with morning sickness, but thankfully that had only lasted a few weeks. The extreme fatigue was something else, it was like a leech that had attached itself to her flesh and was sapping her energy. Even the simplest of tasks such as washing up the dishes was exhausting and she had had to drag a chair over so she could sit down to complete the task.

She continued to break rocks, intending to go home with a good haul and also determined to get rid of some of the lingering pain and anger she felt. The next rock broke open to reveal a lump of quartz. Great, just what I need... more quartz! She added it to the pile in her rucksack which was getting so heavy the weight was pulling on her shoulders, as if trying to drag her down. She would not accept defeat; she was strong and had worked hard to get to where she was. She would not let him beat her. She groaned as she swung her pickaxe at a slightly bigger rock but the axe head broke off and ricocheting off a chunk of stone it struck her hand.

'Ahhh... fuck!' She danced about on the spot waving her hand to get rid of some of the red hot pain that surged through her skin. It throbbed and when she looked at her palm she saw the wet sheen of blood under the dim light of the burning torches that lined the walls. She swore again, 'Shit, that fucking hurts!' Her voice echoed through the cavern. She remembered the last time she injured her hand, the first time she met the idiot town doctor. She would not give him the satisfaction of cleaning her wound, or the opportunity to make up some sordid excuse for his actions. She gritted her teeth as she wrapped a Kleenex around the wound and let out a groan as the white quickly turned to red. It was clearly much worse than she thought.

Bear let out a low growl. Jane looked towards the direction Bear was barking. There was something coming towards them, something moving in the shadows. The blood was attracting cave creatures and she really wasn't up to dealing with them. She also knew that in the mines there was never just one monster to fight... and the first one always brought a friend with it. 'Come on Bear, let's get out of here!'

The lift pinged as they reached the top level of the mines. Jane breathed a sigh of relief at having made it out safely; she was grateful to whoever had installed the lift as without it she'd still be down there scrambling up old rickety ladders. As she stepped out in to the cold, she saw that the rain had not stopped. She moved towards the daylight and grimaced at the sight before her. The snow no longer looked beautiful; it looked like dirty muddy mush. She held her hand out in front of her to assess the damage; it was still bleeding and hurt like hell; and she most likely needed medical attention. She took out another couple of Kleenexes from her pocket and crudely wrapped then around her hand. She pulled up her hood, shoved her hands in her pocket, and left the shelter of the mines. The rain pelted down on both Jane and Bear.

'Good morning,' someone greeted her. Jane tilted her head to see Demetrious out by the stream. He was covered from head to toe in yellow water proofs and had a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other, 'Come rain or shine, there's always work to be done.' Rain water poured over the clipboard so she imagined any recordings would be washed away; which seemed a rather pointless task.

Jane threw him a smile, 'What I'd give for a day off! How's robin – any chance you could let her know I'm interested in an expansion on the farmhouse?'

'She's keeping busy, and sure thing I'll let her know you asked.'

Jane waved him good bye and shivered. She pulled her jacket tighter to her body and trudged through the sludge towards the museum.

After handing over her goods, she cheerfully accepted her payment, and then asked Gunther if she could take a look around the library. He nodded and returned his attention to cataloguing Jane's findings.

She ran a finger along the bookcase reading the names on the spines of the books. Farming for beginners, A guide to raising chickens, and All you need to know about the dangers of mining. She chuckled, wondering how much easier she might have found things if maybe she had visited the library sooner. She shrugged; she'd done okay.

'Do you need any help?' Jane jumped; her breath caught in her chest. She didn't realise there was anyone else in the library. 'I'm Penny; I'm the village school teacher. It's very nice to finally meet you.' The woman who was a thin redhead held an old dusty book to her chest. She didn't offer her hand to Jane; to which Jane was thankful. She really didn't want to have to explain the blood soaked Kleenexes to a complete stranger.

'It's nice to meet you Penny. I'm Jane; I own the farm just outside of town.' She flashed Penny a smile, hoping the chat was going to be a short one.

'Oh yes I know who you are Jane; I've heard so much about you!'

'You have?' Jane swallowed hard, and chewed on her lip. She didn't like a lot of attention but knew how people in the village gossiped.

'Yes, of course... there are no secrets in Pelican Town. You came from the city and you are very hard working. You often venture in to those old mines; which to be honest I think is so brave! You are a very generous person, always offering your assistance and giving away the things you've grown on your farm.'

Jane sighed, feeling relieved. She was expecting gossip but had received praise. 'I try to help out here and there... when I can.' She beamed a smile at Penny thinking how sweet she was.

'Oh and rumour has it you are engaged to the town's doctor.' Penny appeared to blush but smiled excitedly at Jane. 'Should I be offering you my congratulations?'

Jane's mouth fell open in horror. 'Engaged?' Jane laughed and shook her heard as if trying to shake away what she'd heard. Penny was still smiling; waiting patiently for confirmation. 'Where would you get such an idea from? I'm most definitely not engaged! WE AREN'T EVEN IN A RELATIONSHIP!' Jane instantly felt awful at having raised her voice when she saw the affect it had had on the other woman. She hadn't meant to shout; it had just happened.

'Oh, please accept my apology... my Mother said you were engaged.' She went bright pink; her eyes had reddened and tears threatened to fall. 'Please excuse me, I have cleaning to do at home.' She bowed her head and scarpered off through the door without giving Jane another glance.

Jane pinched the top of her nose between her eyes, her migraine wasn't fully gone and in fact felt worse. Engaged! Oh fuck! She shook her head and continued her search for the book and after some time she found the right section. She selected A day-by-day guide to pregnancy, and a book that boasted to contain one thousand of the best baby names. I'll be the judge of that.

She dropped the books on to the counter and pretended to be interested in a speck of dust in the corner of the room. She avoided eye contact with Gunther, and felt so nervous when she heard him say, 'Interesting; very interesting indeed.' She thanked him and slid the books in to her backpack, and made her escape. To make matters worse she could have sworn she heard him chuckle as the door closed behind her. She knew it wouldn't be long before the whole town knew about the baby. Perhaps she should have sworn him to secrecy, perhaps even threatened him with her sword; it was pointless, however... there were no secrets in Pelican Town.

The grey slush coated her boots and soaked through to her socks making her feel grumpy. She hated feeling cold; and especially loathed soggy feet. She hurried past the Mayor's house as quickly and as quietly as she could. She wanted to get home, and really wasn't in the mood for anymore chitchat. She was eager to read up about her pregnancy, and planned to get a warm shower and then settle down in her armchair in front of the blazing fire.

Bear let out a loud whine; she had spotted something or someone that had caught her interest. Jane placed a hand on the dogs head to quieten her but Bear dashed out of her reach and began barking; her tail flipped from side to side excitedly. Before Jane could stop the dog it set off towards the direction of the saloon. A figure had stepped out on to the cobbles and Bear was bounding towards them.

'No! Shit, Bear come back!' Jane stamped her foot in annoyance and hurried after her. When she caught up with the dog she froze on the spot. Bear was standing up on her hind legs excitedly licking someone's face. They were laughing and pleading with Bear to stop. Jane felt panic rise in her chest when she saw his face. Bear removed her giant paws from his chest and decided the trash can around the side of the saloon was of much more interest.

'Jane!' He called to her nervously, carrying a cup of steaming coffee in one hand.

'Harvey,' she responded but glanced sideways feeling too uncomfortable to make eye contact with him. She chewed on her lip and dug the toe of her boot in to the mud in front of her.

'I've been meaning to talk to you... but... but... I didn't think you wanted to see me.' He took a sip of his coffee; he looked slightly uncomfortable himself. 'You... look well.'

She felt grumpy again; clearly she didn't look well. Her hair was plastered to the sides of her face from the heavy rain and she had dark bags under her eyes from lack of sleep from both stress and pregnancy. 'I didn't come to see you Harvey. I'm on my way home, and if you'll excuse me-'

'-please... just let me explain.' He stepped towards her, reaching his hand out towards her but the flash of anger across her face clearly made him think twice. She saw his Adam's apple bob nervously.

She shook her head and bit down hard on her lip. She could feel her eyes welling up; and berated herself for getting upset. 'BEAR! Come on girl!' The dog didn't need to be told twice; she lost interest in the trash can and came obediently to Jane's side. She turned her back on Harvey and tried to walk away but he grabbed her arm.

'Jane... please let's talk.' She removed her arm from his grasp and heard him gasp. 'You're bleeding. Let me see; show me your hand!' The quick movement Jane had made to get away from Harvey had left a blood trail across the snow. His face was full of concern but she shrugged it off.

'It's nothing I can't clean up myself at home.'

'Jane, I'm not asking you. I'm telling you, as your doctor, you need to come with me.' She should have told him to mind his own business, but there was something about his tone of voice, his sternness that compelled her to follow him. He held the clinic door open for her and she stepped through in to the reception area. 'Sit Bear,' Harvey commanded and the dog actually listened to him. Jane raised an eyebrow, both surprised by the dogs response and by Harvey's commanding voice.

'Umm...' Jane began but didn't know what she'd planned to say.'

'Come on through to my office,' he said and she followed him as he flicked on the lights, 'take a seat.'

Jane glanced at the chair but didn't sit down. 'I'd rather stand.' She scowled at him and crossed her arms over her chest defensively. Harvey sighed and dragged his chair over to where she stood; grabbed a few medical supplies and sat down in front of her. She could smell the coffee on his breath; it was an aroma that had become so familiar to her.

'This would be easier if you sat down,' he beckoned with his hand for her to show him her wounded one. 'Let me see your hand.'

She glanced around the room, at his desk which was neat and tidy compared to the way he kept his apartment. Upon first glance you would think Dr Harvey was a neat freak but once you stepped in to his living space you realised he was the complete opposite. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the desk, the one he'd made love to her on. A thought entered her mind... had he also screwed Maru on that same desk? She scrunched her face up in disgust at the vivid image her imagination had created.

'No, this was a foolish idea. I can't believe I was stupid enough to come here!'

'It wasn't and you are far from stupid. Your hand needs treating Jane, please let me see your injury.'

She couldn't let the thought go. 'Did you screw Maru on that desk?' Harvey looked taken aback. 'Did you? Did you fuck her in this room?'

'No Jane... what? Don't be ridiculous!'

'Oh so I'm ridiculous now am I? Where then Harvey? WHERE? IN YOUR BED?'

'Jane, you're not and... I didn't... not on the desk.' She saw him reaching for his inhaler, and watched his expression as he inhaled a dose of medicine. He held his breath and when he released it he quickly inhaled another dose. 'Shit! One day I swear this is going to kill me!'

Jane ignored the fact Harvey was in distress; she was too upset to give a shit. 'So in your bed then! Oh Harvey, you really are an idiot or maybe I am for falling for your lies!' He tried to stop her leaving but she pushed past him and flung his office door open. The sound it made when it hit the filing cabinet rang loudly in her ears. She stormed out in to the reception where Bear was laying down patiently waiting. 'Don't bother following me!'

Harvey caught up to her, and placed his hands on her shoulders. He spun her round to face him., breathing heavily. 'Jane please, I didn't sleep with her or anyone for that matter. Please believe me; I wouldn't do that to you. I love you!'

Jane backed out of his hold; she almost tripped over Bear. 'Harvey, stop this... stop lying to me! Why would Shane have told me if it wasn't true?' She felt her words catch in her throat. 'I don't want to see you anymore.'

Harvey's mouth fell open. His brow furrowed, and he looked hurt. 'Don't do this... please.'

Jane realised she still had his gift. She removed it from her pocket and pressed it in to his chest. 'Goodbye Harvey, and umm... Happy Birthday.'

**Harvey**

He stood glued to the spot as he watched the door swing closed behind her; the dog skipping jauntily at her side. The cold air that blew in to the clinic made him shiver. He looked down at the small package she had shoved in to his chest, and turned it over in his hands.

The package was neatly wrapped in aeroplane wrapping paper; and finished off with a fancy blue bow. He could tell a lot of care had gone in to ensuring the gift was perfectly presented. He wished he had Jane's wrapping skills, his attempts at wrapping gifts always looked sloppy.

Careful not to tear the paper he gently lifted the tape and peeled it back. He peered inside and with a surgeons precision he eased the item free with his fingers. Despite his feelings regarding the confrontation he'd had with Jane he felt the corners of his mouth form a smile; his heart felt warmed by such a generous gift. Jane had bought him a leather wallet. He placed the wrapping paper on the reception counter, with the intention of keeping it. He brought the wallet to his face and breathed in the leather; it reminded him of purchasing school shoes with his father when he was a boy.

As he flipped the wallet open a small piece of paper slipped out and floated to the floor. Harvey stooped down and picked it up between his thumb and forefinger. He staggered backwards; his hand clutching at his chest as if he were experiencing a heart attack. The piece of paper was a hospital scan photo; and the image was of a baby. Both the wallet and photo slipped from his fingers, and without grabbing his jacket Harvey ran out in to the street in search of Jane.

He ran as fast as his legs would carry him; taking large strides to catch up to her. She heard him coming because she turned around at the sound of his footfalls. She was crying; he could see her red eyes and wet cheeks. He felt a pang of pain in his heart from seeing her so distraught. He had done that, he had caused the mess and he needed to explain. He needed her to listen; to believe him. He had tried to talk to her in the clinic but she called him a liar. She had taken Shane's words as the gospel truth.

Out in the street, with the storm wreaking havoc on the usually peaceful town she turned her back to him and said, 'I'm done Harvey. I'm going home and I don't want to see you for a while.' Her words stung like a slap across his face. It was the second time she had told him that, and it hurt more than anything ever could. Was it over... was their relationship really at an end?

'Please Jane, just let me explain things. It's not what you think, and I need you to-'

'-No Harvey, please just leave me alone.' She pulled her jacket tight around her body and marched off through the rain with Bear following closely at her heels.

Harvey stood there for a moment contemplating, watching her go. Rain water trickled down the back of his shirt. It brought him out of his daze. He shivered and rubbed his neck. He couldn't leave things like this so started to sprint again. He called her name but she was gone, she had left the town centre and was heading along path by the bus stop. He set off after her.

'Go home Harvey!' she shouted behind her. 'It's over. You've ruined everything and I want nothing more to do with you!

'Jane please slow down. Let's talk about this.' He was soaked through to the bone but running was keeping him warm.

'I don't want to. Just go home!' Bear growled as if in agreement.

For a small woman she certainly moved quickly he thought, almost losing his footing. She moved like a gazelle where as he was more like a lumbering bear. He could feel the wheeze vibrating through his chest. The cold wet weather didn't agree with him. Thunder rumbled followed by lightening that cracked across the purple sky above them. The sound made Bear bark again. They both ran along the trail that lead to Jane's farmhouse. He saw her slip in the thick mud but she managed to retain her posture. It had rained continuously for three days, and the weather channel had forecast storms for the next week so things were going to get much worse.

Despite her nimbleness he'd managed to catch up with her. His lungs burned, and his heart pounded rapidly in his chest. He made a mental note to himself that he needed to work on his physical fitness. She was so fast but his long legs gave him the advantage of a larger stride. She was within arm's reach. If only he could just grab the back of her jacket. His hand reached out, fingers brushed her shoulder... But his shoes lost their grip, his arms flailed as he tried to maintain his balance, but it was no use. His feet came out from under him and he stumbled forward in to the slush, and landed with a squelch.

It took some force to remove each hand from the mud which was like quick sand, and when he looked at his fingers he could see they were slick with thick grimy sludge. His chinos were covered in slushy earth; no longer sandy coloured but a dark muddy brown. Without thinking he wiped the back of one arm across his face and smudged mud and grass across his glasses. He couldn't see a thing so removed them. He tried to get up but he was exhausted from running. Instead he sat back in the thick mud, removed his inhaler from his chinos pocket and took two long deep puffs of the medicine. He watched Jane's blurry image disappear down the passageway to her farmhouse, her feet kicking up behind her.

'Damn it!', he exclaimed as he exhaled. He felt rather pathetic. 'Jane!'


	21. Chapter 21

**Harvey**

He could not stop the thoughts whirring away in his head. How far along is she? How did I not notice she was pregnant? I'm going to be a father! Why didn't she tell me? How in the name of Yoba am I going to fix this?

Placing his hands on the tiles in front of him he allowed the hot shower water to pour over his head and watched as the mud dripped from his body; it swirled around his feet down the drain. He turned off the faucet and stepped out on to the cold bathroom tiles. The steam filled the small space and obscured his image in the mirror. He swiped his hand across the glass and leaned in close. He noticed the dark bags under his eyes. You are looking tired Harv... and old!.

He grabbed his bath towel from the peg and wrapped it around his shoulders. He welcomed the softness; the comfort of the soft delicate fibres against his aching body. He wondered if Jane might also be in the shower, and wished he could share the moment with her. He would wash the cold rain from her beautiful skin and plant kisses on her growing bump. Her bump; did she even have a bump? Perhaps she didn't have one, or perhaps she did and he had just not noticed? Stupid stupid Harvey! He slapped his palm against his forehead, which stung his skin.

In his living room he retrieved the photo from his wallet and slumped down on to the sofa; letting the cushions swallow him up. He stared at the picture, trying to see the detail in the blurred image. It was a side profile; he could easily make out the baby's head and stomach and possibly a hand - although that could be amniotic fluid. He wondered if Jane had found out the gender – he also wondered if she'd tell him if he asked her. He picked up his cell phone, his finger hovered over her number, but he couldn't bring himself to press call. She hated him and he knew he'd only make things worse if he called her. He'd give her some time, wasn't there a saying – 'Time heals all wounds?'

He had dreamed of becoming a father for a long time, and never thought it would actually happen. He was both excited and anxious. His mind was full of questions. Would he be a good father? He hoped so. Would he be able to provide for his child? Of course, things had been slow at the clinic but he had savings and he would never let his child go without. If the child needed anything, he would step up and provide. Would things get better between him and Jane? He couldn't answer that one.

He patted his skin dry with the towel and got dressed in to his joggers and a t-shirt. He had planned to mope about his apartment for the rest of the afternoon but he heard a noise downstairs. Someone was hammering his or her fist urgently against the front door. The sound resonated through his apartment like a thumping migraine. He quickly made his way down to the clinic, apprehensive about what he might face when he got to the door. Had someone come to protect Jane's honour... had they come to punch his lights out? At that thought he came to a halt in the unlit reception room, and took a puff from his inhaler. He closed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing. The hammering started again, which startled him in to action. He unlocked the door and held it open.

Pierre and Caroline pushed their way through the doorway, each with an arm around Pam's waist. Pam's head was bowed low and lolling from side to side. They were closely followed by Lewis, Marnie, Penny, and Shane.

'Bring her through to the back,' Harvey commanded, 'in to the hospital wing, put her on one of the beds.' He tried not to think about the mud that had been walked through his sterile clinic as he followed Pierre and Caroline through the double doors.

Doc is my mother going to be okay?' Penny asked nervously. He couldn't tell whether her cheeks were damp with tears or from rainwater. She looked distraught, and bit down on her lip to stop it from quivering. She was a slender bookish woman, who rarely visited the clinic apart from for her annual checkups. He always felt uncomfortable around her, which he thought was perhaps because of how timid she was.

'The truthful answer is – I won't know until I've examined her. Please take a seat in the waiting area,' he asked her with a weak smile and then to the other's, 'All of you please kindly take a seat.' They were all soaked to the bone and dripping rainwater from their clothing. 'Lewis, would you mind switching the lights on and perhaps someone could make some coffee?'

'I'll get the coffee... anyone for cookies?' Marnie offered.

Shane stepped forward, he was holding his arm tight against his chest and through gritted teeth he said, 'Doc, I'm hurt pretty bad too. Do you think you can take a look?' He reeked of alcohol which made Harvey's eyes water, and caused him to take a step back as Shane approached him.

Harvey couldn't wipe the grumpy expression from his face, he was still mad at him for the trouble he'd caused, so turned his back on Shane and growled, 'Come through to the hospital room.'

The lights were bright in the hospital wing compared to the reception so Harvey had to shield his eyes when he entered. 'Take a seat Shane,' he said grumpily and then smiled when he noticed Caroline had given him a funny look, reminding him that he was a medical professional and should be just that... professional. 'I'll see to you next Shane, yeah just take a seat in the corner over there.'

Harvey examined Pam, whose breathing sounded shallow and raspy. He carefully lifted the torn strips of blouse material away from her skin to get a better view and grimaced – the lacerations on her chest were deep, and the evidence of how much blood she had lost was shown by the fact her clothes were drenched and her white bra was no longer white, but soaked red. He made a mental note of the green substance that oozed from her wounds, but didn't mention it to Caroline or Pierre.

He placed a mask over Pam's face and started the flow of oxygen. 'Tell me what happened,' he asked no one in particular. He went over sink and scrubbed his hands clean with antibacterial soap whilst he listened.

'We heard screams but by the time we got to her she was already unconscious. Shane was there, he saw most of it,' Caroline said, there was a tremble to her voice, and she nodded towards Shane who was hunched over gripping his arm tightly.

'Shane, what happened?' Harvey asked him begrudgingly. He gathered the necessary medical equipment as he waited for Shane to respond.

From the other side of the room Shane groaned from the pain. 'I was having a smoke outside the Stardrop Saloon when I heard a noise, then a woman started yelling – I couldn't make out what she was saying but she sounded frightened. I ran over to see what the commotion was about and that's when the thing grabbed hold of my arm with its massive jaw. I hit it in the face with my beer glass which seemed to stun it. I was sick from the pain, and pretty drunk from the beer. I went over to see if Pam was ok, and that's when Caroline and Pierre arrived.'

'What was it that attacked you Shane?' Harvey asked, becoming frustrated at not receiving the full story. 'You must have got a good look at it?'

'I don't know, but it had huge yellow eyes and it stunk like a garbage truck.'

Harvey sighed but gave up trying to get any further information out of Shane. He thanked Caroline and Pierre for their help and then kindly asked them to wait in the waiting room. He quickly examined Shane's injured arm and noticed the same green ooze seeping out from the bite marks. He deduced it must be the same creature that had attacked Marlon, and that Lewis would have to do something about it before anymore villagers' lives were put in danger. He returned his attention to Pam, and the hours passed by as he repaired the damage caused by the mysterious creature.

**Maru**

Maru hovered outside Sebastian's bedroom. The floorboards creaked beneath her feet as she paced, unable to make the decision to knock on his door.

'How long are you planning to stand out there?' Maru felt her breath catch in her throat. 'Look, I'm really busy so either come in or go away and bother someone else.'

Maru released the breath she was holding and pressed her palm down on the handle and let herself in to her brother's bedroom. Sebastian was working at his computer, his fingers click-clacked away on the keyboard. Maru saw lines of text on the monitor, she knew it must be coding for a video game Sebastian was working on but to her it just looked like gobbledegook.

'Umm... Hey Seb...' she tried but bit down on her bottom lip; she felt nervous being in his personal space. He had this way of making her feel uncomfortable... unwelcomed. They rarely interacted and she couldn't remember the last time she had stepped foot in to his bedroom. There was a foul smell, a mixture of stale air and body odour. There were clothes, mainly black in colour, strewn across his unmade bed. The walls were covered in gaming posters, but she didn't recognise any of the images so couldn't put a name to them. The blinds were closed and the only light in the room came from the computer monitor and dim desk lamp.

'What is it Maru?' He didn't bother to look up from his programming. She could tell from his tone of voice that he was irritated by the interruption.

'I just... I needed to talk to someone... someone who's not Mom.' She looked down at her feet and nudged a cellophane wrapper with the toe of her shoe. It was most likely from a cigarette carton, and Maru knew that if Demetrius found out that Sebastian had been smoking in the house he would hit the roof. She chose not to mention it. 'Look, I know we don't really talk much but you are my brother and I need your help.'

He pushed away from his cluttered desk and swivelled his chair around to face her, giving her his full attention. She instantly regretted coming to see him; he would most likely ridicule her because... wasn't that what older siblings did?

'Is this about the doc?' he asked flatly.

'What? No! Um... how did you guess?' She shoved her hands in to her overalls to stop herself from fidgeting, which was something she did when she was nervous.

'I heard your dad talking to my mom about it.' He shrugged and tried to hide his grin.

'She's our mom!' she corrected him. It annoyed her how he always acted like the black sheep of the family. 'Did dad sound pissed?'

Sebastian shrugged. 'Nah, not really... maybe at first but mom soon calmed him down.' He pulled a packet of mints from his jeans pocket and popped two in to his mouth. He didn't offer any to Maru, not that she would have ever expected him to. 'So umm... are you really gonna have his baby?'

Maru froze. What had he said? Baby? 'They... they think I'm pregnant? What the actual fuck?'

Sebastian grimaced and shrugged his shoulders again. 'Rumour has it the doc got you both pregnant, you and the farmer.'

Maru gagged as vomit rose up in to her mouth. She didn't know what was worse... the fact her parents thought she was pregnant or the fact that the bitch of a farmer actually was! The tears flowed quickly, dampening her cheeks and neck. She sniffed and pinched the tears from her nose with her fingers. 'She's pregnant? She can't be! I love him Sebby, and he loves me!'

'Are you sure about that Maru?' Sebastian asked cautiously. He stood up and picked up the box of Kleenexes from his bedside cabinet and offered them to her. 'Did he actually tell you he loved you?'

She took a handful of tissues and blew her nose. 'No not in so many words...' She dabbed at her eyes. 'I feel used Sebby, I feel like he's grabbed my heart and ripped it out of my chest. How could he do this to me?'

Sebastian scratched the back of his head, clearly feeling uncomfortable. 'Ahh... Maru, I don't know why you are telling me all this... maybe it's best if you speak to Mom.'

Maru grabbed the neck of his hoody. 'Sebby you need to help me fix this!'

'I don't need to do anything; this is your mess!' He tried to remove her hands from his clothes but she clung on.

'Please Sebby! People are gonna think I've been sleeping around. You know what this town is like – how they talk; and you know I'm not like that.'

Sebastian sighed heavily. 'I don't know what you think I can do Maru, but I'll try.'

A tiny trace of a smile flickered across Maru's lips, she felt relieved... she knew he was going to help her.

**Jane**

She gripped the fence so tightly that her knuckles turned white; and clenched her jaw to stop herself from crying out. The pain was horrendous; her pelvis felt like it had broken in to a thousand pieces. She moved her right foot out to the side in an attempt to edge herself along; she wasn't far from home but she couldn't see herself getting there before it got dark. She cried out and whimpered as she moved her left foot closer to the meet the right. She held her head in her hands and then bit down on her hand; at that rate she wouldn't be home for hours. Bear's tail whipped lightly against the legs; both concerned and keen to get home for her next meal.

'Are you okay?' a female voice called to her. Jane looked over her shoulder to see a slender figure approaching. 'I'm Leah, we haven't met but I've heard so much about you from the other villagers.'

Jane offered her a weak smile and hesitantly placed her hand in to Leah's outstretched one. They shook hands and Jane cried out again and shook her head in frustration. 'Just suffering a bit, it's my pelvis... it came on overnight and I only wanted to see if I could catch a fish for my dinner. I haven't even made it to the river yet; I've been stuck like this for thirty minutes.' She bit down on her lip as another jolt of pain surged through her hips.

'I think you probably need to see the Doc.' Leah offered Jane her arm. 'Here, let me help you get there.'

Jane's face dropped. The Doctor was the last person she wanted to see. 'I'll be fine; but thanks for your offer. I'm just going to head back home and put my feet up.'

'Oh, well I'll help you home instead,' she leaned down and ruffled the fur on Bear's giant head before gathering up Jane's fishing supplies. 'Honestly, it's the least I can do.' Before Jane could protest, Leah had hooked her arm through Jane's and the pair were on their way to Jane's farm.

Inside the farmhouse Leah filled the kettle as Jane took down two cups from the kitchen cabinet. The cups clinked together as she set them down on the counter. Jane hissed through her teeth at the pain in her pelvis; it really wasn't letting up.

'Why don't you take a seat by the fire, and I'll make the tea,' Leah offered.

'Umm... if you are sure?' Jane responded, to which Leah nodded and began looking for teabags. 'The tea is in the cupboard near the sink.' She lowered herself in to an armchair and let out a groan as the cushions swallowed her up. It felt so good to be off her feet. She couldn't believe such a tiny little life was already having such an effect on her body so soon. The element inside the kettle popped indicating it had boiled, and steam rose up towards the ceiling from the spout.

Leah pressed a chipped mug in to Jane's hand and took a seat in the other armchair. Jane smiled and thanked her. She lifted the tea to her lips and took a sip; it was good – warm and milky just how she liked it.

'You are welcome,' Leah smiled and took a long drink from her own cup and stared in to the fire. 'It really is a lovely place you have here. I have a painting that would go perfectly above your fireplace.'

Jane smiled and shifted in her armchair; her hip pain was back and she no longer felt soothed by the cushions. 'I'll definitely consider your advice; the place probably could do with sprucing up a bit.' She suddenly thought about how unprepared she was, she didn't even have a nursery for the baby to sleep in. Her thoughts moved on to wondering how she was going to raise a baby on her own, she knew she would be fine – she was a strong independent farm girl. She had, however, envisioned having Harvey in her life. She felt tears at the corners of her eyes and swatted them away.

Leah placed her cup down. 'Are you ok Jane?' Jane sniffed back the moisture in her nose and wiped more tears away from her cheeks. 'Do you want to talk about it?' Leah leaned forward and put her hand on Jane's knee.

Jane placed her cup next to Leah's. 'I'm fine... it's just the pregnancy hormones.' Before she could say anymore Leah got up from her chair and put her arm around Jane's shoulders. Jane gave in and began to sob; the tears flowed down her face and she wailed. 'I'm sorry – you should probably go, I'm not really good company at the moment.' She dropped her hands in to her lap and gazed at at her palms; her eyes flicked from callous to scar and back to callous again and tried to compose herself.

Leah moved to the bottom of the armchair and knelt in front of Jane. She took Jane's calloused hands in her soft and delicate ones and gave them a squeeze. 'Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not that bad and I'm a good listener.'

Jane's voice was thick from crying. 'I wouldn't want to burden you with my problems,' Jane smiled, 'but I appreciate you offer. Thank you.' She pulled her hands free.

'Honestly, I don't mind at all.'

Jane gave in more easily than she normally would have. She guessed she must have really needed a friend. She cleared her throat before speaking. 'It's Harvey.' She coughed and sniffed back fresh tears. 'I'm pregnant with his child, and I found out from Shane that Harvey has been unfaithful.'

Leah pulled a face. 'Oh, that's... really awful. Wow, I never thought the Doc was that type.' She pinched her chin between her thumb and forefinger. 'Are you sure Shane was telling the truth?'

It was Jane's turn to pull a face. She looked confused. 'What reason would he have to lie?'

Leah scooped the cups up and stood up. 'I just mean, I wouldn't necessarily take the word of the town drunk as gospel.' She took a sharp intake of breath. 'I probably shouldn't have said that. Shane is an okay guy when you get to know him; he's just got a lot of issues and what he told you may not be one hundred percent accurate.'

Jane scrunched up her face. 'He seemed pretty certain to me.'

Leah put the cups in the sink. 'It just doesn't sound like the Doc to me... from what I've heard anyway. When he falls in love he falls fast and hard, so I just can't see him doing the dirty on you.'

Jane blinked to clear her eyes, her eyelashes felt heavy from crying. Had Shane been telling her the truth? There's one way to get to the bottom of this – I've got to confront Maru!

**Sebastian**

Alex was playing with a soccer ball outside his grandparent's house when Sebastian saw him. 'Over here,' Sebastian called to him with his hand raised above his head. Alex kicked the ball towards him. Sebastian stopped the ball with his foot then flicked it in to the air with his toes; he volleyed the ball a few times before heading it back to Alex who caught it with both hands.

'How's it going bro?' Alex asked and pair bumped fists.

'Yeah, yeah – cool' Sebastian replied and shoved both hands in to the pockets of his hoody. 'Just had to get out of the house, Maru was bugging the shit out of me.'

Alex snorted a laugh. 'You still giving her shit? You know it's not her fault your mom remarried – right? I mean, she wasn't even born when they got together.'

Sebastian shrugged and took out his cigarette carton from his pocket. He offered Alex one but he knew he would refuse, he didn't smoke. He lit a cigarette and look a long drag on it, and then released a plume of smoke in to the air. 'I know – I just... uhh dude, I probably should ease up off her.' He returned the cigarette to his lips.

'So what's she done this time? Don't tell me she found your porn stash?' Alex laughed and Sebastian blew the smoke at him. 'Hey! Don't fucking do that you ass!'

Sebastian laughed but then sighed as he remembered the awkward conversation with Maru in his bedroom. 'It's not that,' he flicked the cigarette butt in the direction of Pam's trailer. He doubted she'd notice... her lawn was covered in beer bottles and cigarette ends. 'She's got herself in to some trouble with Doc Harvey, and I think she might be pregnant with his kid.'

Alex laughed loudly, 'Shiiitttt... man that's fucked up!'

'That's not all... the asshole has broken her heart and gone and gotten that farmer pregnant too.'

'Seriously?' Alex shook his head in disbelief. 'So what are you gonna do about it?'

Sebastian returned his hands to his pockets and shrugged. 'Me? It's not my problem.'

'Seb... the guy fucked your sister, got her pregnant, and you aren't gonna do anything about it?'

Sebastian felt anxious and kicked at a rusty beer can. 'I don't know... what do you suggest?'

'Okay, okay – leave it with me. I'll sort it.' Alex grinned. Sebastian felt relieved, Maru may have fucked her life up but at least he didn't have to fuck his life up too. His plan had worked; he knew how much Alex hated the Doc... Sebastian wouldn't need to get his hands dirty.


	22. Chapter 22

**Jane**

Jane reached down to pull on her left work boot. It was a strain and the effort of tying her laces had given her heartburn. Heartburn and acid reflux were her arch enemies and it seemed like no amount of medicine was enough to keep the burn at bay. She'd quickly gone from measuring the liquid using a spoon to swigging it straight from the bottle. The liquid had initially made her gag as it was thick and cold with a very snot-like consistency. She had, however, accepted the small amount of relief it gave her and no longer pinched her nose or screwed up her eyes as she swallowed a generous amount. Luckily she could purchase it easily from the Joja Mart store without the need for a prescription, or the need to speak to Harvey.

Her baby bump had begun to restrict her movements and she was feeling short of breath from just a small amount of physical activity. Her internal organs had moved northwards and her lungs had become compressed to accommodate her continually growing uterus. She watched her body shape change as the weeks passed by and although she smiled as she ran her hands across her stomach she was saddened by the sight of the stretch marks that blemished her skin. She'd seen an article online about how stretch marks were beautiful and should be loved as they were part of the journey to becoming a mother. Jane wasn't too sure about that. The marks on her abdomen looked as if the baby were trying to claw its way out.

She thanked Yoba the pelvic girdle pain she had been suffering from for the past few weeks had eased off somewhat, although she knew it most likely would return the heavier she became. She had been finding it more and more difficult to complete her daily chores on the farm, especially getting them done before sunset and most days by 8pm she was fast asleep in her bed. She was so fatigued by the end of the day and as a result had missed several of Lewis' nightly collections. By not shifting produce she had become increasingly low on funds and that wouldn't do.

She held her breath and finished tying her boot laces. As she pulled the double knot tight, an 'Uhhahhhfffff,' sound escaped her lips. Bending down and leaning forward was putting pressure on her lungs which in turn put pressure on her ribs which clicked and popped grotesquely. The way her floating ribs moved unnaturally made her feel uneasy; it was such a bizarre feeling.

She grimaced as she pushed herself to her feet, but then smiled when she felt movement inside her abdomen. She placed a hand against her t-shirt enjoying the feeling of her unborn foetus twisting and turning until the sensation stilled. Satisfied that both boots were on tight enough she pulled on her thick jacket and headed outside with Bear obediently following by her side. Jane worked her way up the narrow path behind her farm, taking the steps slowly so as not to over exert herself. The last thing she needed was to pass out in the snow. She'd done well to avoid needing medical attention, she reminded herself how strong and resilient she could be even though at that moment she felt far from it. She followed the trail up to the mountains and when she reached the Carpenter's Workshop she hammered her fist on the solid wood door harder than she intended to. The meaty part of her palm felt tender from the impact and so she massaged away throb as she waited for someone to answer. Her heart pounded in her chest and her lungs burned from the effort of walking. She was extremely fatigued and breathing heavily. Her legs felt like jelly and she needed to take the weight off them.

The lock released and the door swung inwards. Jane froze when she saw the image of the person before her, the very person she had come to see. Maru. It had seemed like a good idea at the time but seeing her made her stomach churn. The acid rose in her chest and the gas from it burned her throat. Jane swallows hard but it offered no relief.

'We need to talk,' she said and pushed her way past Maru and entered the reception area. Bear followed closely behind her, wagging her tail enthusiastically. 'Are your folks home?' She glanced around, there was no sign of Robin in her usual spot behind the counter and no noise coming from the hallway so she assumed everyone was out. She'd become accustomed to their schedules during her time living in Stardew Valley and was quite confident Maru would confirm they were alone.

Maru shook her head, and after defensively crossing her arms over her chest she asked, 'What do you want?' She offered Jane her best scowl and looked her up and down. Jane noticed her eyes lingered too long on her baby bump.

'I've come to talk.' Jane ignored Maru's facial expression, she had expected her to greet her in such a way. She glanced around, and for a moment she contemplated going down the hall to check but instead she repeated her initial question. 'So are your folks home or not?'

Maru let out an irritated sigh. 'Mom's at her fitness class and Dad is out doing his usual field research.'

Jane moved past Maru and pushed the front door closed. 'Good, then we won't be disturbed.'

**Harvey**

The temporary nurse had arrived an hour after he'd phoned the agency. She was young and petite, and a little unusual looking with dark purple hair that was shaved at the sides and pulled back down the centre of her scalp in to a long braid. She had a friendly smile, and her references were all good so her appearance didn't matter to Harvey. He had been in two minds about hiring someone but with the recent attack he realised he needed an extra pair of hands. Perhaps with Maru gone he should consider hiring someone permanently.

'Hello you must be Lauren?' he offered his hand to her, and tried not to stare at her eyebrow piercing, the large hole in her right earlobe, or the obscure tattoo creeping up from her neck to just below her chin.

'Yes from the agency. It's nice to meet you Dr Henry,' she shook his hand and flashed him a friendly smile.

'It's Harvey,' he corrected her and felt his cheeks flush. He really didn't know where to look without being rude so he glanced away at a poster on the wall.

'Oh, so sorry!' She gritted her teeth and shrugged her shoulders apologetically. She followed his gaze to the poster he was staring at. 'It's a lovely set up you have here, and the town is very quaint.'

'Thank you, it's taken a while to get things just right. Allow me to give you the tour.' He gestured for her to follow him. He showed her his office where he did the majority of his consulting, and then lead her in to the hospital wing where Pam was recovering from her surgery. He gave her the run down on Pam's condition and her treatment plan. 'My private quarters are upstairs, which are umm… off limits.'

'Of course,' she smiled and popped a piece of gum in to her mouth. 'I'd better get to work then.'

'If you wouldn't mind… could you lose the gum?' His eyebrows knitted together disapprovingly.

In his office Harvey stuck the earbuds in his ears and placed the metal bell part of his stethoscope against Gus' back. He apologised when his patient complained about the coldness of the metal against his skin, but didn't offer to warm it up. He listened to Gus' chest and he asked him to breathe in deeply.

'Please take another deep breath.' Gus did as requested. 'And one more.' Harvey removed the stethoscope from around his neck, folded it in half, and placed it on his desk. He scribbled some notes down on his notepad and then tapped away at the keys on his computer keyboard, all the while staring distantly at the monitor.

'Gus coughed loudly in to a tissue and then wiped his mouth. 'So what's the verdict then Doc?'

Harvey looked up, confused at the question and then remembered he'd forgotten to give Gus his diagnosis. He had been run off his feet, had hardly slept, and the coffee was no longer keeping the fatigue at bay.

'Sorry – there's a slight crackle, but nothing to worry about. You have a bit of a chest infection so I'll prescribe you a course of antibiotics. Please ensure you take the full course.'

After Gus left Harvey put the CLOSED sign in the window and let out a yawn. He played with his moustache, the coarse hair rough against his fingers. He needed to oil it, or maybe he should just shave it off. No! He couldn't do that, he'd look far too young and baby-faced without his facial hair. He let out another yawn and turned away from the windows. He needed to check on Pam, she was in a bed in the hospital wing. She was recovering well considering her injuries and as long as her vitals continued to improve she would be well enough to go home in a few days.

Upon entering the hospital wing Harvey jumped when he saw Penny asleep in the chair next to the bed. She must have heard him as she began to stir. He picked up the clipboard from the bottom of the bed and read through the notes.

'Oh Doc... Dr Harvey,' she greeted him. She rubbed her hand across her face and then smoothed the creases out of her blouse, 'I must have fallen asleep. I didn't mean to stay this long.'

His cheeks blushed. He had never been good at talking to women and before Penny had straightened her blouse he had caught a glimpse of her cleavage. He scolded himself for having looked, and could no longer make eye contact. The last thing he wanted was more trouble, more accusations! Instead he focused on the task of reading Pam's vitals, and jotted down the necessary data on her record sheet that was attached to the clipboard. It was all good, nothing to be concerned about.

'Oh... uhh, it's not a problem.' He brushed his hand through his hair and let it rest at the nape of his neck a moment whilst he tried to regain control of his composure. He could feel the sweat perspiring from his head. 'I just came to check on your mother.'

'How is my mother doing?' she asked him, her eyes focusing on Harvey's shirt buttons. 'I'm confident she's in good hands of course.'

He flashed a friendly smile. 'Pam's a tough cookie, and she's over the worst. There's no need to worry, you'll be able to take her home in a day or two.'

Penny chuckled but it was her turn to look away. Harvey knew Penny had a nervous disposition and strangely it boosted his own confidence. He took the opportunity to study her features; she had fiery red hair and pale skin. She was thin and he surmised she needed to eat more. He watched as she wrung her hands together in her lap anxiously. Why was she so nervous… was she afraid of him? She seemed almost petrified; he could see her shoulders quaking slightly. He frowned trying to figure out what was going on.

'That soon?' she asked. Harvey couldn't read her expression. Was she disappointed? Did she secretly hope her mother would need to stay longer? Or was she pleased to hear the good news? Or was it something else? 'I'd best be heading home, I'll check back in the morning if that's ok with you Dr Harvey?'

'Yeah, sure. I'll walk you out,' he offered and held the door open for her. Penny ducked under his arm and headed for the reception.

'Thank you Doctor... for everything. I wouldn't know what to do if I lost her. She can be a hard person to deal with at times but... she's my mom, and we've only got each other.' Her eyes focused on the leaflets in the mounted rack. Harvey followed her gaze and selected one of the Alcohol Addiction pamphlets. He turned it over, revealing the various useful telephone numbers on the reverse, and handed it to her. 'Thank you, but-'

'-It could help.' He moved away before she could hand it back to him. He was well aware of Pam's problem with alcohol but neither Pam nor Penny would face up to it. He'd seen the states Pam got herself in to, and he wasn't oblivious to the effect it had on Penny. She was extremely withdrawn from the community and so frightened to speak to anyone who wasn't her mother. From gossip he'd heard she spent her free time at the library and her evenings cooped up in her mother's trailer. In his opinion it wasn't healthy, but then who was he to lecture someone else on what was healthy or not when his personal life was crumbling and he was only just getting his asthma under control. The problem with Penny was she didn't talk about personal issues, or about family troubles, and was a very private person. The few conversations he'd had with her had been short and to the point, general chit chat and there was always an excuse she usually made up to get away from him. Such as she'd left the stove on, or she'd forgotten something and needed to run home.

'Thanks,' she responded and quickly placed the leaflet inside her purse. She cleared her throat as delicately as she could before she spoke again. 'She wasn't always like this you know – things used to be different. I know people think I'm... think that I don't hear their comments but I do! It does hurt to hear people refer to mother as the town drunk, and it's not fair. They don't know what we've been through.' She bit her bottom lip and looked away from him, not before he saw how glossy her eyes had gone.

'It's okay Penny, don't worry about it. It's only natural to feel emotional, but rest assured she's going to be fine. She needs a few more days to recover and then she can go home.'

'Her medical expenses... I can't afford to pay, not on my salary and mom – well she's drinking her earnings away.' Penny took a Kleenex from her bag and blew her nose, then dabbed at her wet cheeks.

'Don't worry about the money Penny,' he responded with a smile. He needed the money but it didn't feel right to charge her when she had so little to spare.

She looked up at him, right in to his face and searched his green eyes to confirm she'd heard him correctly. He widened his smile. 'Thank you Doctor, thank you so much.' She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with the same wet tissue. 'I should get going, I have chores to do at home.'

He hesitated for a moment, decided it wasn't appropriate, but asked anyway. 'I'm heading to the Stardrop Saloon if you fancy joining me?'

Her lips parted and panic showed across her face. 'No, I can't. I really must get home, mother won't be happy if I don't clean. I have to clean. I must or she'll be mad! It all has to be clean, nice and clean!''

Harvey's cheeks blushed and he smoothed his hair back with his hand once again. 'I shouldn't have asked, I'm sorry. I could just use a bit of company and I thought you might too.'

'Goodbye Dr Harvey!' Penny turned on her heels to make her escape but stopped suddenly. 'Perhaps you shouldn't go to the Saloon Dr Harvey. Drinking isn't good for anyone, it impares the vision and the mind and umm… it's not safe at the moment. Especially with that monster on the loose.'

'I'm a grown man, I assure you I can take care of myself.' He winked at her and smiled. He was actually touched she was concerned for him. He chuckled. 'Would you like me walk you home?'

'No, thank you. I'll text my friend Sam. He'll walk me home, he doesn't live far from here. I like Sam, he's nice. I just wish he wouldn't spend so much time with Alex. I think he's a bad influence.'

Harvey didn't think Penny would appreciate the words he would use to describe Alex so he chose to say, 'I'm glad you are friends with Sam. He's always seemed very pleasant whenever he's attended his annual checkup. Are you two an item?'

'Oh, no no no it's not like that at all. We are just friends, good friends! I really should be going now, goodbye Doctor.'

Harvey watched the door swing closed behind her and let out a groan. He really could have done with some company.

'Lauren - I'm popping out, if you need me I'll be at the Stardrop Saloon.' He sighed heavily when she didn't look up from her tattoo magazine. He saw the thin wires dangling from her ears and rolled his eyes. He grabbed his jacket and headed out of the door; he hoped to Yoba that Lauren was actually as good a nurse as the agency has assured him.

He needed some company; the loneliness was getting to him. He missed Jane. He wondered if she still thought he was a bastard or if she even thought about him at all.

He pushed the door open and headed to his usual spot. He hopped on to the bar stool and signalled to Gus that he wanted a drink.

'Could I have a beer please.' The bartender nodded and went to the fridge. Harvey looked around the room and spotted the usual patrons, although Pam and Shane were not in their usual positions. He could account for Pam, she was recovering in the hospital wing, but Shane... who knew where he was. Not that Harvey really cared. Shane had caused him enough trouble to last a lifetime.

'Here you go Doc,' Gus said and placed the icy cold beer bottle in front of him. Harvey didn't hesitate, he tipped the bottle and took a long glug, letting the cold liquid wash down his throat. 'Am I to congratulate you on the good news?'

Harvey's eyebrows furrowed together. 'Huh? Good news?' He was genuinely confused.

'Why – I've heard you're going to be a father!' He leaned over the counter and slapped a palm over Harvey's shoulder in congratulation.

Harvey put his beer bottle down a little too hard which caused the liquid to froth up over the sides of the bottle and then pool along the counter. Gus was quick to mop it up with a bar towel.

'She told you that?' he asked, his eyes watched Gus' expression. He felt his heart race in his chest. 'What did Jane say?'

'Well I didn't hear it from the horse's mouth per say, but it is common knowledge... everyone knows.' Gus paused when he saw Harvey's jaw clench. 'Uh, didn't you know?' he asked nervously.

'OF COURSE I KNEW!' Harvey bellowed. He felt the heat rise in his neck and cheeks, so he pulled at his shirt collar to loosen it. 'I... I... I'm sorry. I apologise for raising my voice.' He felt embarrassed for losing control... for losing his shit. He lowered his gaze to the remnants of the beer on the varnished wood in front of him.

Gus coughed a couple of times, almost as if to fill the awkwardness. 'It's fine Doc. You're clearly going through something right now. Have a beer on the house.' Gus opened the fridge and popped the cap before sliding the bottle in front of Harvey.

'Good man,' Harvey said and downed the rest of his first bottle, 'and don't forget to take those pills for your chest infection.'

**Jane**

Maru scowled, and screwed up her face. It made her look ugly; the way her nose wrinkled like a pig's snout and the childish way she stuck out her bottom lip. Jane wondered if Harvey had ever seen her looking so petulant. None of it bothered Jane, Maru could act immature all she liked, she just wanted the truth.

'Tell me what happened that night, after I left.'

'Why should I? Why is it so important to you?' She leaned back against the counter where her mom did business transactions with Jane and shoved her hands inside her pockets. 'You don't even want to be with him. You're not even together, and even when you were you treated him like shit.'

Jane felt annoyed that she had to explain herself to Maru; who was she to think she had to right to knowledge about Jane's personal life?

'How dare you! You don't even know me, so don't tell me what I do and do not want! Do you think I wanted this… to be a single mother? And I don't know why I need to justify myself to you, but I'm going to anyway. I never once treated Harvey like shit as you so politely put it.' She paused for breath. 'I loved him. I still do, so I need to know. I want the truth.' Bear nuzzled in to her side protectively and Jane thanked her by rubbing her hand through her fur.

Maru smirked. 'Why not ask Harvey yourself?'

'I'm asking you Maru.' Jane had begun to get impatient. 'This isn't a game, you may think it's amusing but I don't. It's my life and that of my unborn child you are screwing with.'

Maru rolled her eyes and sighed as if she was bored. 'It's all about you isn't it. You and your perfect freckles and your perfect red hair. You could be covered in cow shit and he'd still choose you over me.'

Jane considered Maru's comment. Maru sounded jealous, and that confused Jane. How could she possibly be jealous? It didn't make sense. When Jane first met Maru she felt so self conscious at how unkempt she looked in comparison to the younger woman who looked immaculate, so preened with not a hair out of place. Maru was clearly insecure. She was also a troublemaker, a hussy, and in Jane's opinion a harlot!

'We played pool.' Maru shrugged.

'Pool?' Jane asked puzzled; her forehead wrinkled.

'Yeah, pool... in the games room.' Maru rolled her eyes and let out a long deep breath showing her irritation at Jane. 'You know, you knock the little balls down the holes in the table with the long wooden stick. Yoba... how old are you?'

'I know what pool is,' Jane said through gritted teeth trying not to react to the insult about her age. She felt like punching Maru in the face. In fact, she imagined she would feel extremely satisfied doing it.

Maru shrugged again, 'Harvey gave me a fast track lesson on how to play.' She giggled and moistened her bottom lip, clearly remembering the scene. 'He got quite... close in fact.'

Jane's jaw clenched. She caught the inside of her cheek between her teeth. She didn't care that it hurt, she bit down hard. She knew Maru was enjoying winding her up. 'What happened after that?'

Maru glanced away, her cheeks reddened slightly. 'Harvey offered to walk me home.' She glanced at Jane but quickly looked away.

Jane was becoming impatient. 'So after he walked you home what happened?'

'Oh no, I didn't say we actually made it back to mine,' she giggled again clearly enjoying delaying the punchline.

'Maru, stop playing games. Just tell me what the fuck happened next.' Jane bit down harder on her cheek and felt a trickle of warm blood.

Maru looked Jane dead in the eyes. 'We kissed, well I kissed him first.' She watched for Jane's reaction. Jane stared at her, and tried to subtly swallow the hard lump in her throat. 'Then he kissed me back and wow it was quite the kiss - not what I expected at all!' Maru placed her fingers to her lips dreamily.

'That's all you did?' Jane felt bile rise up in her throat. She felt the tremble in her voice, 'You just k-k-kissed?'

'Well... yeah, I guess.'

'What do you mean... you guess?' Jane watched Maru intensely, waiting for the answer she didn't want to hear.

'Well if Shane hadn't interrupted us we would have fucked each other right outside the saloon.' Jane felt faint, she grabbed on to the counter to support herself. She felt betrayed. She could not believe it was true! 'My panties were down and Harvey was unbuckling his belt.' She bit her bottom lip and smirked as if reliving the moment.

'You fucking bitch! Stop! I don't want to hear anymore!' Jane felt like she'd received a punch to the stomach. Maru smirked, clearly satisfied by Jane's reaction. Jane doubled over, placed her hands on her knees and gagged. She vomited on to the wooden floor. 'I can't!'

'Eww, that's disgusting!' Maru grimaced at the sight of the throw-up. 'But, nothing happened. I mean it could have but it didn't.'

Jane wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve. 'Nothing happened? Do you really expect me to believe that after what you just told me?' She heaved again but nothing further came out. Bear whined and let out a sharp yelp.'

'Trust me... nothing happened. I mean I wanted it to. I even let myself in to the clinic hoping Harvey would give in to temptation and screw me like he wanted to outside of the saloon. He didn't though...'

'What?' Jane stood up and gave Maru her attention again. She felt flushed and really needed some fresh air.

'He must have come to his senses.' Her expression changed instantly and she no longer appeared to be enjoying the memory. She looked sad. 'He didn't want me.'

'Do you really expect me to believe that? You are a liar!'

'I'm not lying. I offered myself to him and he turned me down. I waited for him but when I realised he'd probably gone to bed I grabbed my things and left.'

'What things?'

'My clothes, I was naked okay!' She looked away, her cheeks glowing with embassessment.

Jane slapped her palm to her own face and closed her eyes. 'Yoba! You have no shame do you?'

'Fuck you!' Maru raged at her. 'Why don't you piss off now that you have what you came for. Go and play happy families with the father of your baby.'

'Why do you have to be so horrible? Harvey has been nothing but nice to you over the years, and how he ever had feelings for you is beyond me! All you've done is make a mess of things.' Jane had unconsciously taken a step towards Maru and was pointing her index finger in her face.

'You think you're so special don't you, little miss farmer going around the town gifting people with produce from your farm.' Maru snorted a laugh. 'You've got the whole town fooled in to thinking you are so kind and caring, but not me. You don't have me fooled.'

'I don't think I'm special… I do, however, hope people genuinely think I am kind.'

'Why does Harvey even like you? Look at how you dress, you're fingernails are always grubby, and you don't even make an effort with your hair!' She paused for a moment to look Jane up and down. 'Do you realise that by getting pregnant you've ruined your figure?'

'You are a jealous little girl, that's what you are! You didn't want him when he wanted you, but the moment he found his happiness you had to ruin it for him. Why couldn't you have just left us alone?

Maru shrugged. 'Keep him, he's all yours now… well whatever's left of him.'

'What do you mean by, 'whatever's left of him?'

Poor Harvey, I hope he doesn't get too roughed up.'

She grabbed hold of Maru's clothing and spoke through gritted teeth. 'Maru, what have you done?'

**Harvey**

'Give me another beer Gus,' he called to the bartender and then downed the last few drops of warm beer, which was more foam than liquid, from his bottle. Gus lifted the cap off a fresh bottle and slid it towards Harvey. He fumbled it and cursed as it slipped through his fingers and hit the floor. The bottle shattered, sending shards of glass and beer across the tiles. 'Ahh shit… sorry!' The beer pooled around the legs of Harvey's stool and trickled along the grout in between the tiles as the puddle increased in size.

'It's fine Doc, I'll clear it up. Here, try not to drop this one.' He opened another bottle and pressed it in to his Harvey's hand. He gave Harvey a look of concern. 'Maybe call it a night after that one.'

'I might just do that,' Harvey responded but returned his attention to the beer mat he had been tearing up. He'd been thinking about Jane and the baby. He wondered how she was doing, was she struggling with morning sickness? Did she need anything? Should he buy something for the baby? He wished she would let him see her so they could talk. He didn't want to be excluded from his child's life, even if Jane didn't want anything to do with him.

'She hates my guts,' he whined and tore another piece of cardboard from the beer mat.

Gus looked up from sweeping up the glass; the dustpan handle in his hand and the pan full of glistening shards. 'I'm sure that's not true Doc.'

Harvey rested both elbows on the counter and held his head in his hands. He let out a groan. 'She thinks I've betrayed her but I haven't.'

'Feeling sorry for yourself again?' Out of the corner of his eye Harvey saw a figure appear beside him at the counter. The sound of amusement in his voice made Harvey's lip curl and the playful slap on his back stung. 'Gus, get the Doc a drink on me, maybe it'll cheer him up.'

'Remove your hand from my back, and get the hell away from me!' Harvey snarled taking in the youth's athletic shape and returned his attention to his beer. He took a long swig from the bottle and spluttered when some of it went down the wrong way.

'Careful now Doc, people might start thinking you can't handle your drink.'

'What's that meant to mean?'

'Oh, just you know how people like to talk. You are a bit of an asshole when you've had a few.'

Without rising from his stool Harvey planted a hand on Alex's chest and grabbed a handful of his T-shirt. 'I'm not in the mood for this shit so leave me alone!' He shoved Alex hard and turned back to his drink.

Anger momentarily flashed across Alex's face but Harvey didn't see it. 'You're a jerk you know that! Aren't you meant to have a bedside manner? How you still have a job is beyond me.'

'Come on now guys, either have a drink or take it outside.' Gus looked at both men. Alex shrugged and zipped his jacket up to his chin. Harvey knocked back his beer, took out his wallet and tossed some notes on to the counter.

'I just want to drink my beer, I didn't come here looking for trouble.' Harvey returned his gaze to the counter in front of him. 'I want another drink Gus.'

'Fuck this bullshit!' Alex growled and stormed off.

'That's it. Run home to granny.' Harvey snorted a laugh, then guffawed at his own comment.

Alex gritted his teeth. He stopped in his tracks and glared at the back of Harvey's head giving him daggers. The muscles in his face contorted as he clenched his jaw. Without another word he walked away, letting the door swing violently shut behind him as he left the building. Ker-clunk ker-clunk ker-clunk ker-clunk before it settled in to its resting place within the frame.

'You want to watch that one Doc,' Gus unscrewed the plastic lid off a bottle of water and slid it in front of Harvey. 'He's trouble. Here, drink this and maybe sober up.'

Harvey shoved his spectacles up his nose. 'I can handle him.' He grinned stupidly and clumsily knocked the bottle of water over himself.

Outside the saloon the air was icy; it irritated his lungs making him cough. Harvey fumbled with the zipper on his jacket; he'd zipped it up wrong and the material of his T-shirt was caught. He jiggled the metal tag in frustration trying to release the little teeth from their grip on his clothing. It wouldn't budge.

'Do you need some help with those teeth?'

The force that struck him almost took him off his feet. He staggered backwards, rocked by the impact. It caught him perfectly on the jaw; the sweet spot that rattles your brain and turns out the lights.

Raising his hand to his jaw he felt for the damage. He was numb from the booze but was pretty sure someone had punched him. He stumbled forward, turning his head in confusion searching for his attacker but his chance to focus was taken from him when the second strike landed.

Pain, unbelievable pain burned at his side as the fist sank in to his ribs. He dropped to his knees, grit and broken glass grazed his palms and fingers as he slid them out in front of himself. Breathing inwards was painful. Tiny stars darted about in front of his eyes obscuring his vision. He could taste metal; and as if to confirm he was bleeding he spat blood on to the ground between his hands.

He collapsed on to his side when the attacker's boot connected with his ribs. The pain instantly worsened; Harvey cried out and spat more blood. He couldn't breathe, and he gasped for breath.

The next kick to the ribs came but Harvey saw it early and managed to barge in with his shoulder. He hooked his arms around the guy's leg and pulled him to the ground. He was exhausted, and as he moved to get up he cried out from the sharp pain he felt at his side. He didn't need to be a doctor to know his ribs were broken. He breathed out heavily and took a moment before pushing himself on to his knees. He kept a tight grip on the man's pant leg, even as he received a kick to the shoulder and chest. Harvey pressed his knee on the man's crotch, dropping his weight in to it, and enjoyed the scream that followed.

He caught another fist to the side of his head which knocked him down. His head landed on his attacker's abdomen and he received another strike to the side of his face. He slumped sideways and lay there for a second or two when he caught a glimpse of Alex's face. Him! It was Alex! The bastard was trying to get up. He couldn't let that happen. He gained a second wind and pushed through the pain, fatigue, and dizziness.

'No you fucking don't!' Harvey moved quickly; he clambered up Alex's body until he was sitting on his chest pinning him down. Harvey was a big man, he might not have been as quick, as athletic, or as physically capable as the younger man was but he definitely wasn't going to let the little shit get one over on him. His breathing was raspy and strained but he chose to ignore it, focusing on the asshole beneath him and considered the beating he was going to give him .

His blood boiled, he felt the heat rise through his body like the furnace on a locomotive, and the smirk on the blond haired youth's face stoked the fire. He grabbed Alex's Varsity jacket collar and leaned in close. Bloody spittle sprayed from his lips as he roared in to Alex's face.

'You fucking asshole! You fucking piece of shit! Why couldn't you just leave me the fuck alone! Don't you think I've got enough problems to deal with?'

'Get the fuck off me man!' Alex squirmed and tried to get out from under Harvey's weight. He bucked his hips, frantically grabbed at Harvey's chinos and even thumped his fists against Harvey's thighs but it was no use. Harvey had gained the advantage, the top position and he wasn't giving it up. 'Fuck! I'm serious, get the fuck off me!'

'Why Alex? Why couldn't you just let things go?'

Alex's laugh added more fuel. Harvey balled his fists up, their grip tightened on Alex's clothes. He resisted the urge to shake him, to smash his head off the cobbles.

'Because I fucking hate you!' The movement was quick, his forehead connected with Harvey's orbital bone.

'Shit! Shit! Shit!' The ground seemed to curve up at the edges of his vision. He was wobbly from alcohol but the blow had rocked his brain. He planted a hand on the ground to support himself, and his other cupped his eye. 'That fucking hurt!'

Alex howled with laughter but suddenly stopped. He must have seen the fire burning in Harvey's eyes because he covered his head with his hands protectively. Harvey didn't hold back, he punched through them sending hammers smashing down on the younger man's face. Blood gushed from Alex's nose and an unintelligible sound escaped his swollen lips as Harvey's punches rained down on him. He continued to beat him even as Alex began to sob and call for help; all he could see was that smirk on his face and he wanted to beat it to a pulp.

'Please! Help me, please someone help me!'

The sound of footsteps, muffled voices, and a barking dog could be heard as people ran towards their location.

'Harvey no! This isn't who you are, please stop!' A woman's voice shouted over his shoulder. He turned his head and glanced at Jane. He watched her two wobbly images merge in to one and then separate again. He studied her face for a moment, took in her red hair and freckles, and then averted his gaze. He turned away from her, placed his hand to his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut. Shit!

He had contemplated landing a few more punches but looked at Alex's face, wet with tears and blood, and thought better of it. He was about to stand up when two sets of hands grabbed the shoulders of his jacket and dragged him off Alex. He found himself on the ground on his side once again and groaned at the pain he felt in his ribs. He gritted his teeth and hissed. His earlier rage had masked the pain, but it had returned with a vengeance.

Shane helped him to his feet whilst Sebastian picked up his wallet and inhaler which had fallen out of his pocket during the scuffle. He held them out to Harvey who practically snatched them from his outstretched hand.

'I don't need anyone's help,' he growled, his eyes set on Shane, 'especially not from you.' Harvey removed the cap from is inhaler and placed the mouthpiece to his lips. He inhaled two doses and welcomed the relief it gave him but winced at the sharp pain in his side. He tried to return it to his pocket but dropped it.

'Fine, whatever.' Shane shrugged and headed towards the Stardrop.

Jane picked up Harvey's inhaler and placed it in his jacket pocket. 'Oh Harvey, what have you done? I'll come with you to the clinic, I'll make you a coffee and help you get cleaned up.' Again he glanced at her briefly but returned his attention to Shane.

'And you should be resting that arm. Why aren't you wearing the sling I gave you?' Harvey scolded him. Shane held his bad arm to his chest as if he suddenly remembered it hurt. 'Come to the clinic tomorrow morning and I'll check on your dressings.'

'You are not going to be in any fit state to open the clinic tomorrow,' Jane tried again. He looked down at her when he felt her pulling his on his shirt. Her nimble fingers worked to loosen the material from his jacket zipper. 'How the heck have you managed this?'

'Harvey are you planning to fight the whole town tonight?' Demetrius was standing next to his stepson. He raised an eyebrow at Harvey. 'Shall I send Sebastian to fetch Mayor Lewis?'

Harvey's eyes went wide. That was the last thing he needed. He shook his head. 'No.'

'I didn't think so.'

'I was merely defending myself.' He removed his spectacles and attempted to straighten the frames.

'I know.' Demetrius gave his stepson a knowing look, 'Sebastian came to me, he told me about how you were in some kind of trouble.' He addressed Sebastian directly, 'Believe me son, I will get to the bottom of this.'

Sebastian stared at his stepdad, eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlamps. His shoulders were slumped forward, and his hands were shoved in to his jeans pockets. He then looked at Harvey and opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but changed his mind and looked away.

Harvey returned his glasses on to his face. He frowned at Sebastian. He wasn't entirely sure what was going on but he knew it must have had something to do with Maru. He'd never had any trouble from him before, so it had to be her.

'Harvey, can we please talk?'

He finally acknowledged her. 'Why Jane? Why now? What's so important that you have decided that after weeks of not bothering with me that you need to talk to me right now? Did you find a new reason to berate me?' He saw her lip quiver and instantly felt a sinking feeling in his chest, but became distracted when he noticed Alex was trying to get up. Harvey made a lunge for him but before he could get anywhere near him a set of arms gripped him around the body causing him to groan. He strained against his captor, flailing his legs as he tried to land at least one kick, but it was no use. The pain in his side was sickening, so he stopped resisting.

'Harvey calm down,' Demetrius warned as he held him back.

'Don't you ever try that with me again!' he roared at Alex.

Alex got to his feet. Blood streamed through his fingers as he held his hands up to his broken nose. He took one last look at Harvey and then ran off in the direction of his grandparent's home.

When Demetrius removed his arms from around him, Harvey looked around at the small crowd that had formed. Had they all witnessed his drunken rage? He considered his behaviour, Alex's bruised face, what Jane must have thought, and suddenly felt ashamed. What kind of man had he become? He sighed heavily, allowed his shoulders droop, and walked towards home. The zipper on his jacket still caught on his t-shirt, Jane's attempt at releasing it had been unsuccessful.

'Wait! Please Harvey!' Jane ran after him, taking two steps to every one of his. She stepped in front of him forcing him to stop. She placed her hand to his chin and tilted his face down to get a better look. 'Your poor face, does it hurt?.'

'You should have seen the other guy.' He grinned stupidly; amused by his own joke.

'I did, you both really went to work on one another.'

He shrugged, and removed her hand from his face. 'Why do you even care?' His eyelids were heavy, his head was pounding, and he needed to get away from the onlookers.

'Why wouldn't I care? You are the father of my unborn baby, of course I care about you.' She reached in to her bag and pulled out a small travel size first aid kit. 'Let me take a look at your eye.'

'I'm fine, stop fussing.' He batted her hand away and let himself in to the clinic. 'I'll get Lauren to take a look at it for me.'

'Lauren?' She glared at him through the door window as it closed behind him, her eyes widened. 'Who the fuck is Lauren?!'


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Text

**Harvey**

He hissed through his teeth as Lauren pulled the needle, followed by the thread, through his skin. The split in his eyebrow would leave a scar; there was no doubt about that. No matter how deft the young nurse's slender fingers were - Alex had marked him for life. Harvey clenched his jaw and made an unintelligible grumbled sound through his teeth.

'If you want the sutures to be neat then you need to stop moving,' she scolded him and rolled her eyes. She tied off the thread and continued to repair the damage. He pulled his head back taking the needle with him. 'Please keep still. Trust me when I say you haven't given me an easy task here Doctor.'

'It's like you are purposely trying to cause me further pain.' He reluctantly leaned forward again and took on a statue-like pose; staying as still as he could. He eyed her stern expression, her full lips were pursed, and her eyes focused. He wondered how far he could push her before she lost her cool with him. The corners of his mouth curled up. 'Maybe I should have a whiskey… you know, for the pain.'

'How about some water or a strong coffee?'

'An Irish coffee? Hmmm...' He grinned dreamily and licked his lips.

'Umm no, just a regular coffee to sober you up. I'm really quite surprised at the state you've got yourself in to - you really don't look like the type.'

'Fine,' he grumbled, giving up. He flinched again as she passed the needle through his skin once more. 'What type do I look like?'

'The nerdy type,' she raised an eyebrow at him as if challenging him to deny it. His thoughts went to his model aeroplanes upstairs; he felt his cheeks warm up. He noticed her expression had softened. She was smiling, clearly amused at her insult. 'I know it's none of my business but was it worth it?'

'Yes,' he grinned - his thoughts returned to the moment he buried the first fist in to Alex's face. His eyes flicked down to the grazed skin on his knuckles and felt extremely satisfied, 'and it felt fucking amazing!' His grinned widened and he let out a chuckle.

She frowned, saying nothing further and instead tied off the last stitch and disposed of the needle in the sharps bin. He watched her rifle through his supplies as she tended to his wounds. She seemed to know where everything was kept. He wondered if she would consider staying on long term, he could do with the second pair of hands. He wasn't sure how long he could afford to keep paying the high agency fees, but perhaps if she was interested they could work something out.

'I'm sorry but what is the purpose of that?' His hand unsteady as he pointed at the large hole in her earlobe.

'It's a vortex to another dimension but only a few are lucky enough to gain passage.'

He stared at her for a few moments and then a deep chuckle escaped his lips which he instantly regretted because his chest was racked with agony. 'Fuck! Ahhh! Fuck! Yoba that fucking hurts!'

Lauren unwrapped a piece of gum and popped it in to her mouth. 'Come on - lift up your shirt, let me take a look.'

He felt as though he were being punished. Lauren moved her hands over his torso, feeling for what he already knew himself; his ribs were broken. In such close proximity - the sweet sickly smell of her fruit flavored bubblegum offended his nostrils, whilst the slurping, chomping, and sloshing sound of it being flipped and rolled around her mouth irritated him to his core.

'You've got three broken ribs. You'll need to take painkillers to manage the pain and use an ice pack for the next couple of days to get the swelling down.'

'Yeah, yeah, okay,' he grunted half annoyed and half woozy from the alcohol. He gritted his teeth and breathed out deeply and whilst he waited for the pain to subside he found himself looking at her tattoos. The one covering her neck and chest fascinated him, he couldn't tear his eyes away from it. Jane didn't have any tattoos and he could confirm that as he'd seen every inch of her beautiful skin, well not unless she'd had any done in the time they'd been apart. He sighed deeply and cried out again. Lauren caught him staring at her, his gaze transfixed trance-like at the memory of exploring Jane's body. Lauren rolled her eyes at him. 'Shit, umm… Sorry I wasn't staring at your umm…'

'My breasts? I didn't think you were.' She let out a laugh. 'It's okay, I guess you don't see many women with as much body ink around here as I do.'

'Not really.' He raised his hand to scratch the back of his neck nervously but it was a wave of pain made him woozy and he wobbled sideways but luckily Lauren noticed and steadied him. 'Thanks,' he breathed out feeling nauseous.

'Careful there Harvey, we don't want another injury to add to the long list you've already accumulated this evening.' She smiled and popped another piece of gum between her lips. 'I had my chest tattoo done last year. It's done in japanese styling if you want to take a look.' Without any warning she undid the top three buttons on her blouse and showed him a cartoon-style face. He wasn't sure what it was meant to resemble, it could have been an elderly woman with her hair in a bun on top of her head or some sort of Japanese warrior.

'It's umm… very nice,' he looked away towards the ceiling. He didn't want to be accused of staring too long at her cleavage so he tried to find something else to focus his eyes on. 'How is the patient? Pam - is she okay?'

'She's asleep, her stats are fine. I'll monitor her overnight.'

'Thank you.' He was relieved to see that she had done her blouse back up.

There was a moment of awkward silence where Harvey considered discussing the weather, but thought better off it. She already thought he was uncool. He didn't know what was worse than uncool but he was certain he didn't want to be that.

'Your ex-wife didn't seem to approve of you brawling in the street. I only caught the end of the action but from what I saw she didn't look too happy with you.'

'She's not my ex-wife.'

'Your wife then.'

'We aren't married!' he grumbled; feeling rather irritated with her assumptions.

Lauren shrugged her shoulders in what seemed like defeat. 'I'm beginning to see why.' She rolled her eyes and returned her attention to his injuries.

'Maybe you should mind your own business!' he growled at her but then let out a deep sigh. 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I've been having a bit of a rough time and my head is all over the place.'

'No worries,' she shrugged again, 'I'm used to doctors being jerks.'

'I guess I kinda deserved that, but I wouldn't really say I'm a jerk. I'm usually quite nice.' He coughed roughly and exhaled deeply as if releasing a huge amount of tension he'd been holding in. 'She's umm... having my baby.'

'Congratulations.' She offered him a smile; a sweet smile with a hint of amusement at the corners of her mouth.

'Thank you.' He glanced away; the awkwardness returned. He rubbed his jaw which was very tender; he dreaded to think how he must have looked.

'So… do you know what you're having?'

'A baby,' he responded. Lauren snickered but then full on belly-laughed. Harvey joined her, groaning at the pain, but then he stared off towards the wall; his own laughter faded off. 'We haven't been on talking terms, so your guess is as good as mine.'

Lauren recovered from her laughing fit. 'I'm sorry to hear that. Having a baby is such a joyous time - it's a shame you aren't able to celebrate together.' She offered him an apologetic smile.

They both jumped when they heard someone knocking loudly on the front door.

'DIDN'T I WARN YOU?! HAVEN'T I GIVEN YOU CHANCE AFTER CHANCE TO GET YOURSELF TOGETHER, TO STOP THIS NONSENSE?!' The Mayor was red in the face and spittle sprayed from his mouth as he reprimanded Harvey. He marched back and forth across the room with his chest puffed out. One hand was on his hip, whilst the other one was closed in to a fist as he shook it in anger. Harvey thought the man looked like an overinflated balloon that was about to burst at any moment.

Two bored looking police officers stood at either side of Harvey. Even if Harvey had had the nerve to make a run for it - where would he go?

Harvey observed his captors. The taller of the two police officers was nibbling at a rather ragged fingernail on one of his meaty hands; it looked like he was trying to gnaw his finger to the bone. Harvey tried his hardest not to offer medical advice, and instead he glanced at the other police officer, who was an older man with a deeply pockmarked face. He caught Harvey looking at him; the shark-like snarl that flashed across his mouth was enough to make Harvey avert his gaze.

'Are the handcuffs really necessary?' He held his hands, palms up, out towards Mayor Lewis.

Lewis shot Harvey a stone cold look. 'I've seen the damage those hands can do. I'm taking no chances.'

'Fair enough,' Harvey snorted, feeling highly amused again at the memory of pounding his fists in to Alex's face.

'Is this just a big joke to you my boy?'

'No Lewis. Believe it or not but this time it actually wasn't my fault.'

'You'd better start explaining yourself. I want the truth!'

Harvey thought about his tête-à-tête in the Stardrop saloon with Alex which escalated to them both brawling in the street.

'He attacked me,' he rubbed his jaw remembering the feeling of Alex's fist connecting with his face, 'I was heading home when he jumped me.'

Mayor Lewis cleared his throat before he spoke. 'Where were you heading home from?'

Harvey closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a deep sigh. 'The Stardrop Saloon.' He opened his eyes to see the furious expression had returned to the Mayor's face. 'It's not a crime to have a drink Lewis!'

'No it isn't, but as previously discussed with you - you are a respected member of this community and therefore need to carry out both your professional and personal life in an equally respectable manner! Being drunk and disorderly is not acceptable Harvey!'

'Lewis I was attacked and I defended myself.' He raised his handcuffed hands and pointed at his face. 'Look at my face - look at what that asshole did to me!'

The Mayor appeared to be considering what Harvey had said. There was an awkward silence. Harvey felt exhausted, he needed to get some sleep and he'd prefer if that happened in his own bed rather than on a grotty piss stained mattress in a jail cell.

'Hmm… you do look,' the Mayor paused as if searching for the most insulting description he could think of, 'a mess, but then Alex looks worse.'

'I defended myself!' Harvey declared louder than he had intended. 'Alex would not leave things alone - he was seeking some sort of vengeance for last time-'

'-The last time you were drunk - when you attacked him?'

'Oh for fuck's sake Lewis! Give it a rest will you! Am I to be forever punished for that incident in the Stardrop? Have you never done something you have wished you could go back and do differently? You know I'm a good man!' He was getting wound up, he could feel the tension in his jaw.

'Sorry to jump in here but it's late and Dr Harvey has sustained many injuries. He really needs to get some rest.'

'I'm sorry but who are you?' Lewis snapped, his tone quite curt.

'I'm Lauren - I'm from the Nursing Agency in Zuzu City. Dr Harvey hired me to help out at the clinic.'

Mayor Lewis dropped the irritation from his voice. 'Oh yes of course! Please excuse my rudeness.' He held out his hand and Lauren shook it. 'It's always refreshing to welcome a friendly face my dear,' he glanced at Harvey, 'Yoba knows we could do with a few more around these parts. What a shame you aren't a doctor!'

Harvey's lip curled in reaction to the snide comment. A dozen responses popped in to his head but he held his tongue - not wanting to dig himself a deeper hole.

'Yes well as I was saying - Dr Harvey really needs to get some rest now.'

The Mayor returned his attention to Harvey. His moustache twitched and his eyebrows dipped in to a frown. 'Luckily for you Alex has confessed. He has admitted to initiating the umm… drama. I wanted to confirm that your version of the story matched his, considering your rather rocky track record. I'm both surprised and relieved to say it does.'

'You could have just asked me Lewis instead of restraining me like some sort of dangerous criminal.' He held up his hands. 'If you are satisfied with my answers would you mind removing these handcuffs?'

Mayor Lewis nodded and instructed the two police officers to stand down. 'This does not mean you are out of the woods, my boy! Believe me when I say you have a long road yet until you return to my good books.'

Harvey massaged his wrists where the cuffs had rubbed his skin.

'I could really do with a drink now.' Harvey thought to himself but then realised he'd actually said it out loud. He felt his cheeks flush.

'I wouldn't recommend that,' Lewis answered gruffly; the frown still displayed on his face.'

'He's going straight up to bed.' Lauren chimed in. 'The only drink he'll be having is a glass of water to wash his meds down.'

'Oh oh yeah, of course. I'll… um leave you to it Lauren. Good work and umm… I hope you decide to stay here in Stardew Valley!'

After the Mayor and his two goons had left, Harvey felt a sense of relief. He laughed childishly, still quite drunk but also amazed to have got away, unscathed, with beating Alex to a pulp; well not entirely unscathed- he had taken quite the beating himself.

Harvey was exhausted, practically dead on his feet. After she had locked the front door to the clinic Lauren ushered him up the stairs to his apartment, with strict orders to go straight to bed. He drunkenly brought his hand up to his right eyebrow and saluted her, only to then wince in pain.

He kicked off his shoes without undoing the laces and then hopped from foot to foot as he awkwardly pulled his jeans off, finally dropping them on the floor in a messy heap. Almost every part of his body hurt, and all he wanted was to let his head hit his pillow and sleep for the next ten years. He haphazardly tossed his spectacles on to his bedside cabinet, clumsily knocking his preventative inhaler on to the floor where it came to rest underneath his bed. He'd forgotten to take it but he made a mental note to do it first thing in the morning.

The bed was welcoming; the pillow was soft and the sheet was cool. Harvey closed his eyes and relaxed in to a deep sleep.

**Jane**

Through the darkness Jane could just about make out two figures that looked like men rolling about on the ground. As she moved closer she could see they were fighting. They grabbed at one another's clothing, tore each other's hair, kicked and punched at each other. It wasn't a clean fight, it was vicious; brutal. Both men groaned and cried out as the blows landed.

As her eyes focused it became clear that the two men were Harvey and Alex. Her heart thumped hard against her rib cage. What was Harvey doing?! He had Alex pinned down on the ground; crushing the younger man's chest with the full weight of his body.

She watched in horror as the father of her unborn child beat the other man with his fists over and over.

'Please! Help me, please someone help me!', she heard Alex call out pathetically. Her heart broke for him.

She rushed forward. 'Harvey no! This isn't who you are, please stop!' She stopped dead when she saw the expression on his face; it frightened her. Blood gushed down his face from a nasty looking split above his eye, whilst bloody saliva dribbled down his chin from his swollen lips. He was seething, with his lips pulled back and his teeth bared. He looked deranged and not at all like the Harvey she knew.

She looked down at Alex, who was sobbing in defeat, and then her gaze followed Harvey as he got to his feet. He towered over her.

'Who am I then Jane? I'm sorry to tell you sweetheart, but sweet geeky Harvey has gone. This is who I am now.' His lips were wet with blood and foamy spit. He raised his arms out at his sides, 'This is who you have turned me in to.' She took a step backwards when he stumbled towards her.

'Harvey, please!' She took another step backwards but his stride was longer than hers so she hadn't put that much distance between them. 'Let's talk about this. How about I make you a nice cup of coffee up in your apartment?'

'You know… I'm really more of a tea drinker,' he said as he closed his large slender hands around her neck and squeezed.

Jane sat bolt upright in her bed. It took her a moment to get her bearings, to realise where she was. Her digital alarm clock displayed 02:09. She pulled her knees up to her chest, kicking the bedcovers off her body as she did so, and hugged them tightly. She felt shaken and flustered and absolutely terrified.

'It was just a dream, that's all - just a dream,' she said out loud to no one but herself.

Bear clambered on to the bed and settled down next to Jane, but not before licking the underside of Jane's chin affectionately. The dog then dropped her huge shaggy head on to Jane's baby bump and let out a loud yawn.

'Harvey...' Jane spoke softly - giving the dog's head a scrunch. 'Oh Bear what have I done?'


	24. Chapter 24

**Jane**

Jane rapped her knuckles against the glass, it felt like a hard sheet of ice against her ungloved hand. She was aware it was only 8am, and that the clinic didn't officially open until 9am, but she needed to see Harvey. She waited another thirty seconds before knocking again. Jane pressed her nose to the glass, ignoring how cold it felt against her skin, and squinted. The lights flickered on and off before they settled. Jane suddenly felt very nervous. She hadn't given any thought as to what she would say to Harvey; she wished she hadn't been so eager to rush out of her front door.

There was movement at the back of the room; a figure came into view, someone Jane didn't recognise. It was a young woman, not 'young-young' but not as old as Jane either. If she had to guess she would say mid to late twenties. As she approached the door Jane could see the woman's appearance more clearly. The first thing she noticed was her hair; it was purple. It was also tied into a thick plait down the centre of her skull.

She watched as the younger woman selected a key from the bunch she was holding and unlocked the door. Jane suppressed the feeling of jealousy that started to rise in her throat; she didn't know who the woman was, so she shouldn't jump to conclusions. She twisted her body away from the building and tried to find something to focus on, a tree or planter or anything to stop her thoughts spiralling out of control. A tear trickled down her cheek, and then another joined it.

'Pull it together, pull it together!' she scolded herself under her breath and dabbed at each cheek with the scrunched up cuff of one of her sleeves. She could blame it on her hormones; they had been reeking havoc lately. She squeezed her eyes shut to stop the floodgates opening up. Is Harvey sleeping with her? He can't be! He might be! He probably is! She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

The latch clicked loudly in the quiet street, whilst warm air escaped through the gap in the doorway as the woman, who may or may not have just climbed out of Harvey's bed, opened the door. Jane bit her bottom lip anxiously.

'Yes? Can I help you?' the woman with the purple plait asked; a tone of impatience in her voice.

'I've come to see Harvey,' her voice wavered. She tucked her ungloved hands under the armpits of her jacket and shivered. Standing still for far too long had made her colder than she had realised.

'I'm sorry but the clinic doesn't open for another hour so if you'd like to come back then-' the woman made to close the door.

'-I need to see him,' Jane jammed her foot between the door and the frame. 'Please let me see him.'

'Well, as I said the clinic is closed at the moment but I will book you an appointment. What's your name? I'll see if I can fit you in for an appointment this morning.'

'I don't need an appointment!' she answered loudly, 'If you would just let me get past!'

The woman didn't budge. 'Unless it's an emergency I can't let you through.'

'Okay - you got me. It is an emergency - I'm in labour.' Jane rolled her eyes and tried again to push past but the woman put her hands up; palms out and blocked her.

'You don't appear to be in labour,' the woman laughed, 'but trust me… when that time comes you won't be joking about it. What is your name?

'It's Jane.' A familiar voice answered gruffly. A feeling of warmth washed over her, and despite having stood out in the cold for so long - she no longer felt as cold. She breathed a sigh of relief. Jane looked past the purple haired woman to see Harvey leaning against the doorframe at the back of the room. She wanted to run to him, to throw her arms around him and tell him she loved him and wanted him back. 'It's okay Lauren, let her come inside.' He didn't look happy to see her; or perhaps his poor bruised face was making him look grumpy.

'Oh, you're Lauren,' she said instead of thought. Jane eyed Lauren's appearance again; she saw the large hole where her earlobe should have been, the tattoos across her chest, and last but not least her tiny waist and her large breasts. She'd seen her own reflection in the mirror enough times to know that her own waist was expanding more and more as the weeks passed by. She felt enormous. When Lauren didn't move, Jane attempted to squeeze past her. She had to breathe in her baby bump in as much as she could. 'Sorry,' she said after she accidentally (intentionally) stepped one of Lauren's feet.

'Come through Jane,' Harvey offered her a weak smile as he held the internal door open for her. She ducked under his arm, just as she had so many times before, and took the stairs nervously up to his apartment.

'Take a seat,' he gestured with his hand at the sofa as if it was the first time she'd been in his apartment. 'You'll have you excuse the mess. Can I offer you a drink?'

'I'll have a cold drink if it's not too much trouble.' She screwed up her face at the musty smell that invaded her nostrils. It was really stuffy in his apartment. He was underplaying it about the mess. There was an assortment of clothing strewn across the sofa, three dried up coffee cups that looked like they might be glued to the coffee table, and an unsteady mix of medical and model aeroplane magazines that leaned untidily against the leg of the armchair. She sighed when she caught sight of a half empty bottle of whiskey poking out from under a cushion on the armchair.

He returned from the refrigerator with two bottles of spring water. 'Thank you,' she said as she took to one of the bottles from him. 'Do you mind if I - umm… open up a window?'

'Yeah, go ahead,' he shrugged; a puzzled look on his face. 'I'm sorry I can only offer you water. I'm rather low on supplies and as I'm currently on Jojamart's most wanted list I'm not allowed to shop there anymore so if I want to do a big shop I have to make the journey into the city.'

'Water is fine, thank you.' She set the bottle of water down so she could open the window. The frame was jammed and took some force to open. There was a loud crack as the wood strained apart. It had clearly not been opened for some time. Jane relished the fresh air that blew into the room; the musty smell was really overwhelming.

She retrieved her bottle of water from the windowsill and as she turned back to the room she noticed Harvey grimacing as he lowered himself into the armchair. She didn't want to imagine how much pain he must have been in; being pregnant came with a long list of ailments itself. Harvey jumped up when he sat on the whiskey bottle she'd spotted earlier. He gave her a sheepish grin as he set it down on the table.

'It's uh… for medicinal purposes.' His cheeks turned a deep shade of pink.

Jane frowned, more out of concern than anything else, but didn't comment, instead she watched as he popped the lid off an orange tube of medicine and tipped two large white pills into the palm of his hand. After taking a large swig from his bottle of water he palmed the pills into his mouth and swallowed them. His Adam's Apple bobbed in his throat. Jane watched him for a moment longer transfixed by his bruised face that made him look almost brutish. She realised he was staring back at her, watching her curiously as she analysed his features. She glanced away, knowing his green eyes were boring deeply into her soul. She didn't want to let on to him the effect he still had on her, even after the hard times that had come between them.

The way he looked at her made her feel nervous; it was almost predatory. She swept her eyes across the room for something else to focus on. She was disappointed in what she found. More laundry hung over the back of the armchair he was sitting in. An abundance of potato chip wrappers littered the floor, half a dozen sticky coffee cup rings left a messy pattern on the coffee table, and then she spotted another whiskey bottle that had rolled under the television unit. The bottle was empty. Harvey!

She turned back to the open window and stuck her head out of the opening. She didn't want Harvey to see the tear that trickled down her cheek. Was she to blame for the destructive path he appeared to be on or was something else going on? Perhaps he had been like that all along but he had hidden it well. She squeezed her eyes shut to stop any further tears escaping. She'd been so worried about him last night, but at that moment she couldn't help but feel mad at him all over again. She knew part of it was the emotional pregnancy rollercoaster she was riding but why hadn't Harvey begged her for forgiveness like he had each time he had seen her during the time they had been apart. It was something she had got used to, him pleading with her to listen to him, him trying to apologise. Perhaps his feelings towards her had changed. Perhaps the way she had shunned him had finally pushed him away. Or perhaps he was just too wounded, mentally and physically. She reminded herself that he had feelings too, and they were probably just as hurt.

Her thoughts went to the scary dream she'd had, the one where deranged Dream-Harvey had tried to strangle her to death. She subconsciously rubbed her neck where Dream-Harvey's murderous hands had been trying to crush her windpipe. That nightmare had kept her awake for most of the night.

'Have you injured your neck?' His gentle voice pulled her out of the dream.

'My neck!? No I haven't, I'm fine.' She shook her head but continued to rub her neck as if trying to remove the memory.

'Let me take a look,' he offered. He pushed himself to his feet; she could see both the effort and energy it took. The pain showed on his face as he clenched his jaw tightly and let out a deep groan. He held his side for a moment with one of his hands, the other supporting his weight on the back of the armchair, whilst he appeared to wait for the pain to subside. 'Just give me a moment.'

'Harvey sit back down, you are in no fit state to-'

'-No, I'm going to take a look at you. I'm the doctor Jane,' he spoke sternly. After he had regained his composure he made his way over to her; his full six foot four inches towered over her small stature. She took a step back and bumped her back against the wall. He closed the distance and placed his large hands around her shoulders but Jane flinched away from him and ducked under his arm. Harvey's eyebrows knitted together and he let out a groan.

'I had a bad dream okay! I don't know why but it just came back to me.' She moved out of his reach. 'I've been under a lot of stress lately so it's not surprising that I've been having a few restless nights, okay!'

He raised his hands in surrender. 'Roger that, mission aborted!' He rubbed his eyelids with his thumbs and let out a long yawn. 'I think I need a coffee. Would you like one?'

Jane shook her head. 'I'm fine with my water but I'll make you a cup.'

The kitchen was in a terrible state. The trash can was overflowing with generic TV dinners and greasy takeout boxes. The sink was piled high with dirty dishes and cutlery. She took one of the only two clean upturned mugs off the draining rack and placed it on the work surface. After waiting for a fresh batch of coffee to boil she poured the steaming hot liquid into the mug. The aroma of the ground coffee beans filled her nostrils; it had a rich and spicy smell to it. She could finally appreciate the smell without feeling the urge to vomit since her morning sickness had passed.

'Thank you,' he said as she pressed the steaming hot mug into his hand. She sat down opposite him and broke the silence before it could take hold again.

'You've got to get your act together. You can't live like this Harvey.' She pointed towards the kitchen. 'Dishes piled high, the trash overflowing, laundry not put away, and what's with all the whiskey bottles laying about?'

'Jane I've had a lot to deal with recently. It's nothing, you don't need to worry about me.'

'Harvey, be honest with me - do you think you might be drinking too much?' She saw his face drop. 'I'm not saying you are an alcoholic, I'm just questioning whether you need to reign in your alcohol consumption a bit.'

'W-what?!' He gasped, he looked completely shocked. 'You can't be serious? Why would you think-'

'The whiskey bottles!' She picked up the empty one from the floor and placed it next to the other one on the table between them. 'Last night you were brawling in the street, and you were drunk! I could smell the alcohol on your breath.'

'Hey, that's unfair. I had a couple of drinks but I wasn't drunk.' He rubbed a hand through his hair. 'I also wasn't brawling.'

'I beg to differ on both accounts.'

'Okay, maybe I did have one too many last night but I didn't go looking for a fight. I was assaulted. I went out for a quiet drink on my own and Alex jumped me outside of the Stardrop.'

Jane had been so worried when she'd seen him sitting on top of Alex; she'd learned very quickly that drink gave Harvey a sort of Dutch courage but she didn't know he was capable of doing what he did to Alex; he'd beaten him to a pulp.

'I saw what you did to his face Harvey. There was so much blood. How can you be okay with what you did? For Yoba's sake didn't you take an oath to do no harm?' She thought about her next words carefully but resigned herself to speaking truthfully. He needed someone to tell him. 'You really need to get control of whatever this is you are going through. You can't behave like this; you are a doctor and the people in this village rely on you to have a sensible head on your shoulders.'

She saw him ball up one of his hands and then release it. He did it twice more. 'Yes I did,' he replied through gritted teeth, 'and I told you I didn't go out looking to fight Alex, he created that situation - that's on him not me. I suppose you do have a valid point about the other thing though… about my behaviour,' he exhaled deeply as if in defeat.

'Good, I'm glad you finally agree with me. So umm… Harvey, how long have you been seeing What's-Her-Face?' Jane asked, attempting to diffuse the ticking time bomb, and also to confirm her suspicions. She had intended to speak to him about his antics with Maru but thought his blood pressure might go through the roof if she mentioned it at that point. She was also interested to know more about the woman with the large hole in her earlobe. For her own peace of mind she needed to know where she stood, especially after the shitstorm Maru had rained down on her. Had Harvey really moved on that quickly?

'Huh?' He looked genuinely confused. 'Uh what?'

'The girl downstairs. You know the one with the tattoos who wanted to leave the pregnant woman out in the snow. Are you sure she isn't a bit young for you?'

It seemed that at that moment Harvey suddenly remembered she was pregnant as his eyes darted straight down to her round belly. It was the first time since she'd entered the clinic that he'd even acknowledged the baby. She caught a glimmer of a smile, his face softened and for a moment he seemed really content

'Do you mean Lauren?' The confusion returned to his face. He coughed into his elbow, inhaled sharply, and then spluttered another cough into his arm.

'Yes that's the one. She's not what I would have pegged for your type but she is pretty; I'll give her that.'

'What are you talking about? Do you really think that little of me?' He placed his mug down hard enough to break the handle off. Coffee sloshed across the table and dripped over the edge onto the carpet. 'Ah fuck!,' he complained whilst holding the cupless-handle up to his face for a closer inspection.

'You know what, I'm sorry - that was really rude of me to interfere in your sex life. I should go, just please take care of yourself Harvey.'

'Wait!' He tossed the handle on to the table. It clinked against one of the whiskey bottles and broke into two pieces. 'Don't go!'

He groaned as he once again pushed himself up from the armchair. He took a moment to catch his breath, his hands planted on the arms of the chair, and then with one quick moment, and after several had expletives escaped his lips, he stood up. He panted heavily as he recovered from the bout of pain he had just endured. His injuries had really taken their toll on him and Jane recognised the strained wheeze that escaped his lips with every exhale.

'Oh Harvey.' Jane gasped. She tried to help him but he batted her hand away. She really felt for him. The gentle giant, the one who couldn't see a thing without his glasses, who was afraid of his own shadow was black and blue and broken. 'Is there anything I can do?'

'My inhaler,' he wheezed and pointed in the direction of his bed. 'It's in my bedside cabinet, top drawer. I need it.'

'Where Harvey?' She opened the drawer and rummaged through his things. She moved aside a spare pair of spectacles, his wallet, a packet of breath mints, some model aircraft adhesive, a set of keys, and a packet of pain meds. 'There isn't one in here.' Something floated down to the floor. She groaned as she knelt to scoop it up. It was the scan photo, the picture of the baby that she'd given to him for his birthday, the one she had concealed inside the wallet. It warmed her heart, knowing that he must look at it each night before going to sleep. She smiled but then remembered the task at hand. She propped the photo up against his digital alarm clock.

'Try my jacket pockets, it's hanging on the back of the door.' She searched both pockets, but shook her head. 'What about the internal pocket?'

'It's not in there,' she replied, trying her hardest to keep the panic out of her voice.

'I must have left it downstairs last night. Yoba only knows where.' He slapped his palm to his forehead in frustration. I'll go and check.'

'Okay well I'll come down with you; I'll head off after you've taken your meds.'

**Harvey**

He took the stairs two at a time; panic was setting in quickly. He jumped the last three steps and regretted it instantly. When his feet hit the floor the impact reverberated into his chest and made it feel like his ribs had been broken all over again. He doubled over, planted a hand against the wall, and released an almighty cry of agony. It echoed in the hallway, and was probably loud enough for Pierre's customers to hear in the store next door.

'Oooh dear, that sounded like it hurt alot!'

He wanted to reply, ' Ya think?', but he kept the thought to himself. She didn't deserve such a sarcastic reply. 'Just a bit.'

Harvey pushed the door to his office open and scanned the room for it. Where are you? Dammit! He knew exactly what he was looking for… all he needed was a tiny glimpse of the blue plastic casing and he could relax.

He felt like a boa constrictor had wrapped its thick length around his chest and was quickly squeezing the life out of him. Each breath became more difficult than the last; bringing less and less oxygen into his lungs.

'I heard a scream, what happened?' Lauren turned to Jane. 'Have you gone into labour?' Harvey noticed Lauren roll her eyes at Jane but didn't have a clue what that was about.

'No, I am not in labour!' Jane snapped at her.

Lauren turned her attention to Harvey when she heard him wheezing loudly. 'Dr Harvey are alright?'

'It's his asthma.' Jane answered for him, a deep frown on her face. 'He's asthmatic. We are trying to find his medication.'

'It's not that bad,' he pulled the top drawer of his desk open and then slammed it shut in frustration when he came up empty handed, 'I'm just feeling a bit chesty - it's nothing for you to worry about. I just need my inhaler and I'll be fine, I must have dropped it in here last night.'

'You didn't tell me you had asthma.' Lauren stated as she rushed forward to check him over. 'Let's get you into a chair.'

'I didn't think it was important,' his breathing was really laboured. 'I've got it under control.' He coughed roughly; the buildup of mucus irritated the lining of his airways. The coughing cleared the mucus but within seconds it was back and the wheezing continued.

'Not at the moment you don't have. Take a seat and we'll get a handle on it. You are going to be fine.' She unlocked the medicine cabinet with the key Harvey had given her; and took out a new carton. She removed the inhaler from the packaging and gave it a shake before handing it to him. 'Take one slow long puff and hold your breath for thirty seconds. Then take another puff and do the same.' He didn't need guidance, he'd done it enough times, but he was too breathless to argue. He took another puff and felt his airways clearing. The urge to cough continued and doing so loosened the mucus.

He coughed a couple more times and then held his head in his hands. He felt tired, but most of all he felt embarrassed. It was just typical! How many times had he begged and begged Jane to talk to him, and after being denied the chance to make things right each time she just turned up out of the blue. Why did she choose to visit the day after he had had a rage-fueled fight in front of half the village?! Then to top it all off his asthma decided to flare up and make itself known! He wondered if he would ever have an easy life. It was very draining.

He felt really glum. What could she possibly have seen in him in the first place; he was neither strong nor brave, unless fueled by alcohol but that was clearly something she thought he had an issue with. His asthma made him weak and he hated it. Half of him secretly wished he had never set foot in the mines on that fateful day, but then the other half of him hated himself for having those thoughts. If he hadn't gone in with the rescue team the boy wouldn't have made it. He knew that having breathing issues was nothing compared to someone losing their life; he just hoped the kid, and his friend, had made the most out of his second chance and put his reckless days behind him. He never wanted to have to enter those awful mines again.

'You should probably go home Jane, don't waste your time on me… I'm a lost cause.'

'Oh Harvey, please don't talk like that.'

'Dr Harv-, um... Harvey, take another puff if you need to,' Lauren encouraged him. He nodded and sat up straight again. He returned the inhaler to his lips and breathed in a third and then a fourth dose simultaneously and held his breath. 'How do you feel now?' Lauren asked him.

'Better,' he answered, feeling tired.

'Harvey, you really worry me sometimes.' Jane placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. He put his hand over the top of hers.

'I'm sorry,' he answered croakily; his throat felt rough. He looked up at her face; there were faint worry lines across her forehead. He couldn't recall whether she'd had them when they'd first met. Perhaps he was responsible for them. His heart sunk. He'd brought so much stress into her life.

'Your breathing does seem much better now,' Lauren gave him a reassuring smile. 'Do you want to go on a nebuliser, it might help?'

'No, I'm fine, you can go now. Thank you Lauren.'

'I really should run some checks on you.' Lauren looked from Harvey to Jane. She could see they needed to talk. 'Ok, I'll give you a moment but I'll be back to check on you.'

As Lauren closed the door, Harvey caught the stern look she shot him.

'I'm sorry,' he looked away, 'I meant it when I said you should probably just go home.'

'Well I'm not going home.' She pulled out a chair and plonked herself down on it. 'Ahhh that's so much better. My back is really killing me at the moment.'

'I've heard it's one of the drawbacks of carrying a fetus,' he chuckled softly and then made a grumbled sound because it hurt so much to laugh.

'Well this 'fetus' had better hurry up and finish cooking because mama has had enough backache to last her a lifetime.'

He smiled. 'You look good Jane, pregnancy really suits you.' She gave him an odd look so he assumed he must have said something offensive. He really was crap at talking to women.

'So she's a nurse?' Jane grinned nervously, and bit her bottom lip.

'Was it the uniform that gave it away?'

'I feel like I should apologise for what I said earlier, I thought-'

'-that I was sleeping with her?' He looked at her bemused; one eyebrow raised. 'I'm not, and I have no intentions to either.'

He noticed the smile, that she tried to hide, creep onto her face. She appeared to relax, like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

'I'm pleased to hear it.'

'You are?' He struggled to conceal his own bemused smile.

'Well ummm… like I said, she's far too young for you. She's young enough to be your daughter.' He noticed the tinge of pink that appeared at her cheeks.

'Hey, I'm not that old!' He frowned and folded his arms across his chest.

'You are almost that old.' She shrugged and offered him a cheeky smile.

He stuck out his bottom lip just like he'd seen young Vincent do during many of his visits to the clinic. A thought struck him… what if the baby was a boy? Would he look like him; would he share his father's mannerisms and oh Yoba what if the baby ended up with Asthma just like him! Although he knew it was out of his control he would still never forgive himself. As the thoughts whirred through his mind his worry must have shown on his face because Jane grabbed both of his hands in hers and gave them a gentle squeeze to get his attention. Her touch sent a feeling of electricity through his body.

'Harvey I think you should come and stay with me for a couple of days, or until you have got your head straight.' She leaned in close, dropped one of his hands, and rubbed her thumb across his eyebrow, feeling the neat row of stitches that held his torn skin together. 'Bring your meds but leave the whiskey behind.'

He gave her a sheepish grin. 'I wish I could but I can't just abandon my duties here.'

'Unless it's an emergency, I'm sure Lauren can manage for a day or so without you.'

'I would have to speak to her, and make a few arrangements… but Jane I haven't told you what really happened between Maru and I. You need to know that-'

'-We can talk about that back at mine, but for now let's get some clothes packed and sort things out with Nurse-y.'

'I didn't sleep with her,' he blurted out. 'I need you to believe me!' His voice elevated a notch.

'I know.'

'What? How?' He scratched the back of his head and suddenly felt really hot.

'Let's not get into this now. Come on get your things together.'

'I don't really understand what's going on here, why are you being so nice to me?'

'Are you saying I'm not usually nice?'

'No… that's not - you know what I meant!' He felt flustered; there he went getting himself into trouble again! 'I really don't want to be a burden.'

'Harvey you aren't getting off lightly, I have chores you'll be helping me with.' Jane winked at him and flashed him a toothy grin. 'Oh and don't get me wrong… we will talk about Maru.'


End file.
